adminPaul Mundandi Sports Correspondent
Shabanie Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
Buffaloes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0SHABANIE Mine produced a five-star performance that kept fans on the edges of their seats in a thrilling Castle Lager League match at Maglas Stadium yesterday.
A first half strike by exciting Fungai Chirinda in the eighth minute and a penalty in the 54th minute by Pervington Zimunya was all the asbestos miners needed to collect maximum points.
Earlier on the asbestos miners camp had been rocked by an industrial action a few minutes before midnight when players moved out of the camping house only to re-group yesterday mid-morning.
Despite all those setbacks the team was just super- charged and Luke Masomere had the luxury of leaving strikers Tarisai Rukanda, Caleb Masocha, Talbott Mthombeni, Rowland Makiwa and the resurgent Solomon Ndlovu on the bench.
Shabanie were shot into the lead with some fans still streaming into the stadium. Valentine Ndaba’s full bloodied shot inside the area was blocked by the visitors’ goalkeeper Blessing Mwandimutsira to the path of Erea Phiri who was near the corner flag. He responded by threading a pass to midfield maestro Chirinda whose first time shot shook the nets with Mwandimutsira beaten all systems out.
A minute later Zimunya was denied by the woodwork when he did justice to a Chirinda cross with the soldiers defence nowhere in sight. The pencil slim former Masvingo man was also found wanting in the 14th minute when he was sent through by Ndaba but he directed his effort into the sky.
Chirinda, a former Gunners midfielder, then showed Buffaloes a few dribbling lessons when he turned defender Phillip Chandisaita inside out in the box and fed Zimunya but his effort was saved by the Buffaloes goal minder in the 36th minute.
FC Platinum reject Frank Bushire who was playing a game of his life as he was handed the captain’s arm band shook his head in disbelief when his volley from about 30 metres missed the target with the Buffaloes goalkeeper at the other side of the action in the 52nd minute.
A minute just after the miss the visitors’ best player on view Jacob Muzvokomba found himself face to face with goalkeeper Victor Twaliki when he was sent through by Stephen Sibanda but he directed his effort wide when it looked easier to score than to miss.
Shabanie then punished the visitors after the miss by Muzvokomba when Themba Ndlovu brought down Zimunya in the box and the KweKwe based referee Munyaradzi Majoni who recovered from the assault by security personnel at the FC Platinum/Caps United match on Wednesday pointed to the spot.
Zimunya sent Mwandimutsira the wrong way from the spot kick.
National team trialist Prosper Matizanadzo and captain of the Mutare-based Premiership outfit then headed wide a Chandisaita cross with Twaliki at his mercy.
Erea Phiri who was full of energy the whole afternoon denied his side a move on the log over How Mine when he blasted his effort over the bar with a yawning goal in front.
It was one of the best moves which saw passes being exchanged by the Shabanie Mine engine room of Tafadzwa Mombeshora, Bushire, Zimunya and Ndaba.
With the Buffaloes defence chasing shadows and their goalkeeper outdrawn the ball was sent to an unmarked Phiri who surprisingly shot over the bar with fans already celebrating a goal in the 60th minute.
Buffaloes could have got a face saver in injury time but a point blank header from substitute Prince Mudawu saw Twaliki diving full stretch to his right to block the effort for a corner that the visitors failed to utilise.
The win by Shabanie Mine meant that Buffaloes have failed to beat Masomere for the second time this season and it also drove home the point that the army side’s executive needs to appoint either a head coach or an assistant coach as Timothy Masachi cannot run the team alone as his technical expertise was badly exposed.
“We gave Shabanie Mine a soft goal and we missed a number of scoring opportunities. We have to regroup and prepare for Chicken Inn,” said Masachi
Masomere was on cloud nine after the win.
“I am very happy to win after the break as we played a good game. I am now moving towards our objective, a top eight finish. We have numerous problems at the club and it’s now an addiction to us but we are just concentrating on the field of play. Organisation comes from the top and the top is not functioning,” he said.
Teams
Shabanie: V Twaliki, F Bushire, E Phiri,F Chirinda (C Masocha 83rd minute), P Muzondo (R Mware 73rd minute) , W Ngonya, B Mbavarira, S Muchabayiwa, T Mombeshora, V Ndaba (T Rukanda 76th minute), P Zimunya
Buffaloes: B Mwandimutsira, B Mukwena, S Nyauzima, T Ndlovu, P Chandisaita, R Chakoroma, P Matizanadzo (P Madau 86th minute), A Dzumbunu, J Muzvokomba, S Sibanda, L Katongomara (K Juwakinyu 72nd minute)
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