adminMONOMOTAPA striker Agrippa Murimba hit back at his former team, where it hurt the most, when his late goal sent Motor Action crashing out of this year’s BancABC Sup8r Cup in a quarter-final tie at Gibbo yesterday.
Murimba struck in the 85th minute to ensure that Monoz, who have dominated their opponents in the last two years, completed back-to-back victories, inside one week, following last week’s success in the Castle Lager Premiership.
But yesterday the teams had appeared to be heading for the dreaded penalty shootout with the match goalless late in the second half.
This was before Murimba, who was also on target when the teams’ met last week, received a fine pass from Ronald Chitiyo and made no mistake inside the box, to send Monomotapa into the semi-finals.
They will meet FC Platinum who prevailed over Highlanders at Mucheke on Saturday.
Murimba was pleased to have scored the priceless goal that propelled his team into the next stage of the most lucrative knock-out competition in Zimbabwe, in a match that served as a curtain-raiser to the tie between Dynamos and Buffaloes.
“It’s an important goal for me considering that it made all the difference in this match and I am really excited,” Murimba.
Chitiyo, who made the final assist which resulted in the goal, was pleased that he had captained Monoz to two successive victories over the struggling Mighty Bulls.
He hopes that they will complete a third win when the two clubs clash in the next round of the league match.
“We are very happy to get this win in a Cup game and it was different from a league game,” said the Zimbabwe international forward.
“In a Cup match, there has to a winner at the end of the day and I am pleased it turned out to be us.
“The goal came towards the end and it was a tricky game for us because Motor Action had worked on some of their weaknesses.
“But I feel we had also worked out on our weaknesses.”
Both teams missed a couple of good chances during the game and the match was on a cliffhanger towards the end but it was Monoz who were handsomely rewarded for their industry.
“There was never a time during the match that we anticipated going to the penalties,” said Chitiyo.
“We had to continue looking for the goal because it’s a matter of seconds for a goal to be created.
“So, we never gave up. Cup games are always difficult but we have to be strong when we meet FC Platinum.”
Monomotapa assistant coach, Nkululeko Dhlamini, who led his team in the absence of his boss Biggie Zuze who is attending a coaching course, said the victory was important for his side.
He wants them to work hard when they meet the wounded Bulls in the league match.
“It’s every coach’s dream to win silverware and I hope we will go all the way through to lift it,” said Dhlamini.
“As a striker Agrippa is employed to score and today he made the difference.
“It was a matter of motivating the youngsters so that they guard against complacency.
“It’s very difficult to play the same opponent twice or so in succession but we have managed to win on both occasions because we gave it all.”
While Dhlamini was happy with the victory after a slow start, it remains gloomy for Motor Action who are also in danger of being relegated.
Their manager, Joey Antipas, is hoping to go on the market to beef up his squad when the window opens for the second half of the season.
“Things are not going right for us at the moment and we have to get a couple of good guys in defence, some in midfield and even in attack,” said Antipas.
“What we have decided to do is to go for the youthful players that are coming in from a couple of clubs and hopefully these guys will come up with fresh legs and fresh ideas.
“We will try to get the youngsters and expose them as we try to improve our position.”
Teams
Monoz: J. Zvaita, L. Sithole, O. Mwerahari, H. Mugoniwa, B. Biseki (H. Masumbuko, 65th min), M. Nelson,A. Murimba,C. Rukwanha (P.Tonha, 79th min) J. Tigere, C. Boroma, R. Chitiyo
Motor Action: M. Jani, M. Mburayi (M. Ncube, 65th min), C. Matawu, P. Benard, C. Mutero, E. Ebabali (L. Matawu, 66th min) G. Moyo, N. Maviri (D. Chivandire, 77th min), B. Sande, D. Walaza, E. Tembo
Online Reporter