Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo at Rufaro Stadium
Scottland 2-0 Simba Bhora
IT took just 14 minutes for Michael Tapera to light up Rufaro. Off the bench and onto the scoresheet, twice, Tapera delivered a devastating late double, including a goal that might go down as the finest seen in Zimbabwe’s topflight in years.
The match had remained goalless deep into the second-half, both sides clogging the midfield and failing to find a breakthrough. Then, calamity struck for Simba Bhora, who had just lost their towering defender Isheanesu Mauchi to injury. A defensive lapse gifted Tapera, lurking in the box, a loose ball. With predatory instinct and composure, he drilled it home with 10 minutes to play.
Simba Bhora, desperate to claw their way back, committed men forward. But it only played into Tapera’s hands.
Collecting the ball in his own half, just three minutes after his opener, the former Manica Diamonds winger launched a solo run that will live long in memory. Slaloming past defenders with balletic ease, Tapera ignored the option to pass, noticed goalkeeper William Thole off his line, and unleashed a long range rocket that screamed into the top corner.
A goal fit for a global stage.
Simba Bhora mounted a late push, but Scottland held firm. It was a game with much at stake, both teams began the day trailing league leaders MWOS by four points, but with MWOS having dropped two in a 2-2 draw with TelOne, Scottland seized their chance. They are now just one point off the top.
Looking back, Simba Bhora will rue their wasted chances. Namibian striker Isakar Gurirab twice fluffed close range efforts in the first-half, both times denied by the sharp reflexes of Scottland goalkeeper Nelson Chadya.
Though Simba Bhora dominated stretches of the game, especially in midfield, they lacked the cutting edge in front of goal. Scottland, however, shifted gears after the break. Khama Billiat and Tymon Machope signaled intent with shots from distance before coach Tonderai Ndiraya made the decisive substitution, bringing on Tapera in the 66th minute.
For 14 minutes, Tapera was quiet.
Then he exploded.
“I am very happy to have scored the brace that decided the match,” said Tapera.
“It was a very difficult match against a very good team in the mould of Simba Bhora. But we were the ones to smile at the end of the day. I wouldn’t want to take all the credit. We played as a team and won as a team. This is good for the team.”
Coach Tonderai Ndiraya, facing his former club with whom he won the title last year, praised his match winner.
“Tapera is one man who can give you the balance, as he showed today by deciding the match,” said Ndiraya.
“It was a tough match but I am happy my boys threw everything into it and we got the points.”
Former Simba Bhora players now in Scottland’s camp, Walter Musona, Albert Manenji, Vasilli Kawe, and Mthokozisi Msebe, may have added an emotional edge to the contest, and perhaps that made the marginal difference.
Simba Bhora coach Joel Luphahla cut a disappointed figure at the final whistle.
Teams
Scottland: Nelson Chadya, Peter Muduhwa, Kevin Moyo, Godknows Murwira, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Albert Manenji (Mthokozisi Msebe 60), Walter Musona, Vassilli Kawe (Kingsley Mureremba 60), Tymon Machope (Michael Tapera 66), Khama Billiat (Marvelous Chigumira), Fredrick Ansah-Botchway.
Simba Bhora: William Thole, Webster Tafa, Roland Kangadzi, Blessing Moyo, Isheanesu Mauchi (Trevor Mavhunga 57), Donald Mudadi (Harrison Masina 75), Emmanuel Ziocha (Blessed Ndereki 75), Tinotenda Meke (Carlos Makambira 75), Carlos Mavhurume, Junior Makunike, Isakar Gurirab (Never Tigere 68).
