Saints hold Moneybags

ZIMBABWE Saints coach Ephraim Chawanda picked up his first point since taking over at the club, against an unlikely opponent at White City Stadium.
His side played their hearts out to derail moneybags FC Platinum in a lukewarm Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match yesterday.
In a well-attended encounter Chawanda said he was satisfied with his team’s performance and reckoned that it marked the beginning of their survival mission.
“There should be a continuation from here on. We are on a learning curve. My boys showed a good fighting spirit. We have started a trip of survival. I am not happy with the result but I am satisfied,” said the Saints gaffer.
FC Platinum coach Rahman Gumbo blamed the pitch for his team’s showing, saying it was as if they were “playing in a cup”.
“Saints had a good game. For my boys it was like playing in a cup. We were crowded and it is a good achievement for Zimbabwe Saints.
“I put the blame entirely on the pitch. My boys were struggling with the pitch,” said Gumbo.
For Saints, who seemed comfortable in their home ground got their first chance at goal 44 seconds into the match after they won a freekick outside the box.
John Kapenya was behind the dead ball and sent the shot straight towards goal but Tafadzwa Dube in goals for FC Platinum was equal to the task.
In the second minute Saints’ Itai Muganiwa tripped Donald Ngoma just outside the box.
Platinum’s Zephaniah Ngodzo stepped up to take the shot and sent the ball to Mthulisi Maphosa who skied his effort.
Soccer Star of the Year and Platinum Charles Sibanda who gave a good account of himself was a pain in the Saints defence.
In the 24th minute, after dealing with his marker Muganiwa, Sibanda sent the ball to Joel Ngodzo who blasted towards goal but the shot was too high. Three minutes later FC Platinum were to miss their best chance of the day when Ngoma spotted former Dynamos man Benjamin Marere inside the box after a brilliant run from the midfield.
With goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya sprawling on the ground, Ngoma sent the ball to Marere who was a bit too slow to connect and the ball passed in front of the gaping goalmouth. Not to be outdone Saints got their chance to open the scoring through former Bosso player, Castro Ndebele’s header which hit the cross bar and bounced back into play in the 29th minute.
In the 38th minute Diya almost cost Saints from a Bhekimpilo Ncube attempt. Diya had misjudged the shot but managed to head it out before it crossed the line.
Platinum’s Dube had to work hard again to keep Evans Rusike’s shot out.
Rusike’s shot rebounded back into play from Dube and found Kapenya who was eagerly waiting and he too sent the ball towards goal only for the goalkeeper to push it out.
The resultant corner yielded nothing.
In the second half both teams seemed more relaxed with a few shots at goal from each side.
80th minute Norman Maroto, who had come in for Marere four minutes before, had his shot from a Sibanda cross pushed back into play by Diya.
The rebound fell on Joel Ngodzo who quickly hit it hard and back towards Diya but the Saints goalkeeper was always watching and punched it out for a corner.
Joel had his last chance at goal at the stroke of full time but sent the ball too high.
Teams:
Zimbabwe Saints: M Diya, D Ndlovu, N Dube (captain), S Linyama (M Tongai 78th minute), C Ndebele, I Muganiwa, J Kapenya, A Mbaiwa, M Ncube, E Rusike (F Nyambosi 83rd minute), C Tsodzo (53rd minute).
FC Platinum: T Dube, B Marere (N Maroto 76th minute), B Dube, Z Ngodzo (captain), D Ngoma (W Manondo 65th minute), D Veremu, C Sibanda, B Ncube (M Mupera (50th minute), J Ngodzo, M Maphosa, I Gwandu.