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Sports Reporter
If football could use cricket terms, Bulawayo Chiefs late win over Simba Bhora could easily have been ascribed to ‘death bowling’.
Visiting Simba Bhora came a cropper when Never Rauzhi’s 79th minute strike gave Bulawayo Chiefs a deserved win at Luveve Stadiun on Sunday.
This after having been on the road for 2 500km by the time they arrived on Bulawayo on Saturday. Simba Bhora participated in the Independence Day celebrations in Murambinda, driving more than 300km to and from their temporary base in Mutare.
And they are the off to Mutare where they play Bikita Minerals on Wednesday.
At Luveve Stadium, four 20-minute spells defined this Castle Premiership match between Chiefs and Shamba-based money team, Simba Bhora.
Possesion was evenly split between the two sides who enjoyed sustained spells of possession only drop a gear and give up the momentum to their opponents.
Early on in the tie, top forward Walter Musona floated in a dangerous ball from a foul from the left found no takers with both the Chiefs’ defence and ‘keeper Prosper Matutu beaten in the 20th minute.
Two minutes later, Simba Bhora missed another chance to go ahead after Tymon Machope was played through by Musona and managed to get behind seasoned Xolisani ‘Scara’ Moyo before a timely intervention by Chiefs skipper, Nkosilathi Ncube saved the day.
In the 30th minute, Chiefs got their best chance in the half but Ncube fluffed a chance tp beat an advancing Shumba but scuffed his effort with no one in goal after he appeared to kick the turf with his attempt at a chip.
Chiefs got another chance to break the deadline in the 34th minute when Ncube hit the cross bar. Ncube lucked out on a loose ball after experienced Blessing Moyo pulled down golacsorer Rauzhi but the resultant loose ball was crashed onto the cross bar from the edge of penalty box. Ncube slipped as he prepared to take the shot first time under the challenge of Patson Jaure.
A tired looking Simba Bhora back four came short on most of the second balls and putting themselves under pressure.
For most of the second half, Rauzhi was quiet but began to make his presence felt with runs behind and at the Simba Bhora backline as the game progressed but tappered off as halftime beckoned.
At halftime Simba Bhora lost Mthokozisi Msebe who was replaced by Vasilly Kawe. Msebe pulled up towards the end of the first half with what looked like a thigh injury and received treatment to see him out the rest of the first half.
Ncube was back in the mix in the 75th min but blazed his effort of the upright wide after a good through ball from Leroy Ndlovu just a few yards from the goal line. The attack came off some good work by Ndlovu to get the better of Webster Tafa before he squared the ball to Ncube who scooped his effort over the bar.
Barely four minutes later, another sustained high press by the Chiefs attack allowed Rauzhi to deliver his fourth goal of the season when he dispossed Jaure and shot past Shumba from a few yards out to secure three points for Chiefs.
Simba Bhora coach Tonderai Ndiraya blamed the result on the 2 500km road trip his side endured ahead of this tie.
“We’s been on the road for 2 500km by the time we arrived in Bulawayo and that weighed down on us.
The boys were tired and now we are on the road to Mutare to play Bikita on Wednesday. I thought the league should have moved this match to Thursday and allow the boys to recover,” Ndiraya said after the match.
PSL Sunday Results
Highlanders 1-2 Chicken Inn
Dynamos 1-0 Telone
Manica Diamonds 1-0 Caps United
Hwange 0-0 Ngezi Platinum
Bulawayo Chiefs 1-0 Simba Bhora
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