Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT was a day of drama in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League yesterday, with champions Simba Bhora swapping top position with MWOS, Scottland remembering how to win after a barren spell and ailing Dynamos continuing to sink deeper into relegation.
Simba Bhora secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Herentals, climbing to the top of the standings with 40 points, level with MWOS, but boasting a superior goal difference.
The match saw Simba Bhora come from behind twice, with Isakar Gurirab scoring a penalty in the 39th minute to level the score at half-time and again in the 55th minute to peg back Herentals’ second goal.
Never Tigere sealed the win with a late goal in the 66th minute.
MWOS’ 1-0 defeat to Yadah at the Heart Stadium yesterday was not short of drama as tempers flared after the final whistle.
This, in many ways, could be the measure of the rivalry or intensity in the Castle Lager Premiership title fight.
That defeat meant MWOS surrendered their top position to Simba Bhora.
At the Heart Stadium, Terrence Daka’s goal straight from the corner made the difference.
Yadah, featuring at least three players on loan from Scottland — King Nadolo, Timon Mvula and substitute Innocent Muchaneka — showed why they are one of the most underrated teams in the league.
Simba Bhora coach Joel Luphahla was left a relieved man.
“Yeah, I am happy, but I still feel that our boys should manage to win games without putting ourselves under pressure, because it’s not every day that you’re going to be able to come back,” he said.
“Teams like Herentals make it difficult for you to get any goals. I’ve said that they don’t give away goals easily, they don’t give away points easily, but I can’t take anything away from what the boys did.
“They tried very hard. It was a difficult game, but at the end of the day, I think we are learning.”
His counterpart, Paul Benza, was naturally disappointed.
Miracle corner sinks MWOS
MWOS coach Lloyd Mutasa cast a calm figure after the game, saying the defeat to Yadah was normal.
“That is something that I said before the game that you don’t have to fall into the trap of your opposition,” he said. “You need to be calm because those are some of the things they would want you to behave like.
“I think, as an institution, we knew we were going to drop points at some point. But it’s a wake-up call and these results you find them in a game of football. What makes us strong is to get back to winning ways after such a defeat.”
Soon after the breather, Francis Tizayi could not stop “the miracle corner kick”, a goal that will be talked about long after the season is over.
Yadah will look back and realise that it could have been three goals up before the break, had Evans Rusike and Nadolo put away chances that came their way.
But coach Takaendesa Jongwe was still grateful.
“What is important are the three points, and I’m hoping this result will bring a lot of consistency,” he said.
“We have been giving such performances and even when we lost to Simba, we conceded a top- notch free-kick from Blessing.
“The boys have been playing; unfortunately, some of the performances have not been matched by the results.”
On the goal, he said: “The goal, that’s a bonus. Daka is good on corner kicks. The whole day yesterday we were practising these corner kicks, but not on him scoring.”
Ndiraya breaks Baobab jinx
Drama.
This summarises the clash between Ngezi Platinum Stars and Scottland at Baobab yesterday.
A clash of colours leading to a five-minute delay, three goals inside the opening 10 minutes, a red card to Peter Mudhuwa before half-time and at the end Scottland walking away 2-1 winners.
It was the newboys’ first win outside Harare and coach Tonderai Ndiraya’s first win at Baobab since he parted ways with the platinum miners in 2018.
Poor, poor Dynamos
The glamour is gone! That was the sentiment of many at Ascot.
The goals have dried, losing has become a norm and it is beginning to sink for the Dynamos fans that the unthinkable may be unravelling.
Relegation is looming large.
It was yet another afternoon of misery for the DeMbare faithful, as the Harare giants lost 1-0 to an impressive TelOne at Ascot.
Washington Navaya clinched victory for the Gweru side with an exquisite header in the 56th minute.
And for the third match on the trot, DeMbare have failed to hit the nets.
Even the Dynamos players appear resigned to their fate, as they lacked both the fight and grit to claw back into the game once they fell behind.
For TelOne, the win pushes them into third place with 33 points, and coach Hebert Maruwa felt the win was a statement of intent and now they are title contenders.
“I am happy to be on the winning side after a couple of draws in the past matches. It’s not only a win, but it was against Dynamos and we did it in style. After this win, I think we are now challenging for the championship; that is a declaration,” he said boldly.
Online Reporter