Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Scottland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) 5
Manica Diamonds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
HAS Norman Mapeza built a beast that is bigger than the one which he assembled at FC Platinum, which swept to four Castle Lager Premier Soccer League titles?
This has been the question in the domestic football discourse.
Scottland, however, yesterday cast aside any doubts about their pedigree to launch a successful championship title defence with a huge statement victory over out-of-sorts Manica Diamonds at Rufaro.
The win, Scottland’s seventh on the bounce and without conceding a goal, helped coach Mapeza and his men to also stretch their lead atop the 18-team Premirship log standings.
The Mabvuku club are now on 43 points from 20 games.
More importantly is the fact that they moved eight points above second-placed Hardrock, who travel to unpredictable Chicken Inn this afternoon.
As if to showcase their sheer depth, five different players registered their names on the score-sheet as Scottland put the Gem Boys to the sword.
Mthokozisi Msebe, man-of-the-match; and Eswatini import Khwakhe Thwala, Khama Billiat, Moses Shidolo and Knowledge Musona, in that order, ensured Manica Diamonds were reminded of the tough task awaiting them in their bid to climb out of the danger zone.
The Gems Boys sit second from bottom, and yesterday’s match must have also given incoming coach Herbert “Jompano’’ Maruwa an insight of how much work he has on his hands in his audacious bid to try and steer the Mutare outfit to safety.
Scottland, on their part, scripted a historic feat when winning the championship in their debut term last year, and they could as well be on their way to ring-fence it.
They showed they have everything in their bag; swag, grit, detail and just about everything else. Scottland were expected to beat Manica Diamonds, who for a long time have been struggling to stand on their feet this season even after a new corporate take-over towards the halfway stage of the season.
But the manner in which they dominated made it look like they were merely on a routine training session in which real human beings who were supposed to be their opponents looked like mere shadows.
Such was their dominance that at one point after Msebe’s opener, they made 87 passes, yes, 87, until Panashe Mutimbanyoka shot tamely at Geofrey Chitsumba.
There was little resistance from the visitors in thwarting whatever Scottland schemed out throughout the 90 minutes.
With every move coming out exactly like a Mapeza training drill, it became a matter of when, not if Scottland would strike first with that not even being the last.
Msebe raised his hand first; receiving a good ball from Mutimbanyoka and striking with his left into the bottom left corner.
Then Thwala, who has been on a purple patch, reached for the stars with a spectacular two minutes later before veteran Billiat walked in three minutes before the break.
The game had literally been put to bed by then. Manica Diamonds lacked not only the resistance to the punches that the hosts threw at them, but also they were clueless in the very least.
They lost every duel and every second ball and were passive in every phase of play.
The second half was always going to deliver the same script as the opening stanza, and it did. Shidolo, who has been in impressive form lately, took advantage of the sleepy Manica Diamonds midfield to arrow a good goal three minutes into the second phase, and Musona, scoring his eighth of the season, tapped in seven minutes later to seal an emphatic win.
“It was a good game,” said Mapeza.
“After we scored the first goal, it became easy. I am happy for the boys.”
Former Black Rhinos and Buffaloes goalkeeper Ndega Matsika stood in for Maruwa, and for him the result was disappointing.
Teams:
Scottland: Nelson Chadya, Peter Muduhwa, Kevin Moyo, Kwakhe Thwala, Moses Shidolo, Mthokozisi Msebe, Issaka Mohammed, Walter Musona, Panashe Mutimbanyoka, Khama Billiat (Nathan Mutasa 76min), Knowledge Musona (Abubakar Moffat 60min)
Manica Diamonds: Geofrey Chitsumba, Jeffrey Takunda (Leon Chibi 32 min), Pascal Shumbaimwe, Ask Rupande, Carlson Chirwa, Lawrence Masibera, Fitzgerald Banda (Darrel Zulu 57min), Russel Kahiki (Marlon Maziriri 46min), Charles Teguru, Liberty Manzunzu (Clinton Sithole 46min), Fortune Binzi
