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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
Simba Bhora………..(1) 2
Hwange…………………..0
SIMBA Bhora put up a good show, their best so far this season, that enabled them to secure a second victory on the trot as they dismissed Hwange in this Castle Lager Premiership tie at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
The new boys’ attacking play yesterday matched the pre-season hype which appeared to be dying down after the team lost two opening matches to FC Platinum and Chicken Inn.
But after they managed to draw with Dynamos and then got their first victory last week against Yadah, the team seems to have regained confidence and shed off some pressure which was stifling them.
They attacked from the onset and were rewarded with a goal in each half on a day the Shamva outfit that could have won with a bigger margin.
Simba Bhora attacker Alexander Mandinyenya found the opener in the 38th minute when he received a fine delivery from right winger Simbarashe Marwamwidze on the flank and did justice to it. Marwamwidze was playing in his first start in the league and was lively on the right channel as the hosts turned on the heat on the visitors.
Simba increased their lead in the 63rd minute when midfielder Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo buried a chance that had been missed by Mandinyenya but the veteran midfielder ghosted from the back and drove the ball home to give Simba a comfortable lead.
The latter misses by forward Boniface Aboubakkar could not count for much as Simba Bhora were cruising and stood resolute in defence thwarting scoring attempts that were now coming from Hwange.
Simba Bhora coach Tonderai Ndiraya believes the team is moving in the right trajectory but wants consistency.
“I can’t really say we have turned the corner, but what counts in the big league is consistency. We are on an upwards trajectory. Our wish and hope is to keep at it keep going up the ladder. But we are a new team. We have exprienced players but we have that blend and we want to continue learning.
“I am excited that we got maximum points, second win on the trot exciting, excited that this our third clean sheet on the bounce and excited that we collected maximum points which will ease some beat of pressure of us,” said Ndiraya.
“The plan really is to play good football. We are a team coming from Division One and naturally difficult for newly promoted teams in the league,” he said.
The former Dynamos gaffer says coming into this game he had a specific game plan against Hwange and it worked.
“We had a plan. These guys travel a lot, they have travelled a lot and obviously physically it will then take a toll on them. We wanted to apply a physical game which l thought we did in the first half. We wanted to push until we got a goal, we pushed but l am surprised until maybe the 40th minute until we got that goal. So the plan worked and l am so excited that we controlled the match in the first half and got decent chances which we should have scored if we were more clinical,” said Ndiraya.
The Premiership returnees Hwange came into this game at the back of a successful run in which they managed seven points from four games. They only lost to Dynamos in their opening match.
So naturally Hwange coach Nation Dube was not happy with the way his troops went on with their business.
“If l look at this game, we only donated it, we were generous and gifted them with two goals. These are young boys and are just coming into this league We need to add more points from the seven points because they will not take us anywhere,” said Dube.
Simba Bhora: S. Chinani. V. Musarurwa. W. Tafa. P. Jaure. A. Manenji (K. Murera 67th minute), T. Chipunza. A. Mandinyenya (I. Nyanhi 77th minute. R. Chitiyo (T. Jaravani 77th minute) B. Aboubakar (T. Balakasi 88minute). B. Moyo (S. Chatikobo 88th minute). S. Marwamwidze.
Hwange: W. Muuya. E. Zulu. B. Mhlotshwa. L. Sibanda. T. Goredema. S. Gadzikwa. E. Ngulungo (C Tshuma 50th minute). J. Chivasa (B. Makopa 50thminute). E. Gwitima (K. Nasama 85th minute). C. Nkomo (B. Ngoma 85thminute).
Online Reporter