adminPeter Phiri Sports Correspondent
How Mine …………………………………………………. (0) 1
Triangle United …………………………………………. (0) 1
HOW Mine Football Club were held by 10-man Triangle United in a lukewarm Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Luveve Stadium yesterday. The visitors were the first to score in the 60th minute through veteran striker Limited Chikafa who ghosted from the blind side and headed the ball past Pedzisayi Gumiremhete in goal for How Mine.
How Mine equalised four minutes before full time through substitute Josphat Phiri who came in for the ineffective Timothy January.
The match was an evenly balanced affair but the home team failed to utilise the numerical advantage and were unsettled by the visitors who were pumping long balls upfront.
Triangle’s Blessing Chimwamuchere who was already sitting on a yellow card received his marching orders from referee Allan Bhasvi for a second bookable offence.
Simba Sithole who got his second call up to the national team yesterday, could have opened the scoring for How Mine but his effort crashed against the upright in the 13th minute after Mernad Mupera had done good work from the right flank.
From there on it was a see-saw affair with both sides trading blows and Sithole came close again in the 26th minute but his left-footed shot went wide.
A minute before half time How Mine’s appeals for a penalty were turned down after what appeared to be a hand ball in the box.
The second half started with How Mine trying to penetrate the visitors’ defence to no avail.
Then Limited Chikafa broke the ice in the 60th minute with a simple header which left the How Mine defenders ball watching and Gumiremhete diving in vain.
The home side left it until late for an equaliser which came against the run of play when ageless defender Herbert Dick flighted a long ball into the box.
Phiri who was unattended headed the ball down and Triangle goalkeeper Ashley Reymers failed to deal with the ball which trickled into the nets much to the disappointment of coach Gishon Ntini.
How Mine assistant coach Philani ‘‘Beefy’’ Ncube said they had wanted a win but however had to settle for a draw.
‘‘We wanted a win but missed many chances which is part and parcel of the game. We cannot crucify the boys,’’ said Ncube.
Ntini was however happy with the result after playing for the better part of the match with one man down.
‘‘A draw away from home is a fair result but we endured a lot in this game considering that we were one man down but managed to score first. We were however tactically superior and it was a good game,’’ said Ntini.
Teams
How Mine: P Gumiremhete, B Dube, K Banda, G Banda, H Dick, X Moyo (E Nkulungo 58th minute), M Mupera, T Masuku, T January (J Phiri 68th minute), S Njeleza (N Mpala 68th minute), S Sithole
Triangle: A Reymers, P Chinungwa, B Chimwamuchere, W Mapfumo, D Sengu, C Nyondonga, C Makoto (J Zembe 72nd minute), T Muyendi, C Denias, L Chikafa, L Nhamo.
Online Reporter