adminBulawayo City ……………………………………………. 0
Tsholotsho …………………………………………….. (1) 1
PHILANI “Beefy” Ncube cast a forlorn figure as his 10-man Bulawayo City army narrowly lost to Tsholotsho FC in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match that livened up in the second half at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
In contrast, at the other dugout Tsholotsho coach Lizwe Svesve threw his hands up in jubilation at the end of a match in which they got a well-deserved penalty to collect their first full set of points following a morale sapping 2-1 loss to FC Platinum in Week One of their 2016 league campaign.
In a match in which Bulawayo City had a promising start in the first period, Brighton Dube, in a “moment of madness” usurped his goalkeeper’s duties to scoop a goal-bound Bruno Madanhire’s close range stinger which was written goal all over it just a minute from the end of the first stanza.
The centre referee Nkosikhona Moyo rightly pointed to the spot before flashing red to an awe-stricken Dube. But there was nothing Dube could have done as his goalkeeper Liberty Chirava was well beaten.
From the resultant penalty kick Tsholotsho captain William Stima sent Chirava the wrong way.
And yet City started the match on a promising note threatening to overrun their opponents with play concentrated in the Tsholotsho half of the field.
However, it was Tsholotsho who had the real chance of the first half when a wasteful Simba Gorogodyo, a recipient of a perfect pass in the box, directed his effort on a sprawling but thankful Chirava.
Tsholotsho spurned another offer for a goal when Nkosilathi Moyo sent an inviting cross into the boxer only to see Dillian Chivandire directing a free header well over the bar.
Ncube made a double substitution at half time bringing into the fray Eddie Nkulungo for Trevor Ndlovu and Humphrey Ncube for the injured Mthulisi Maphosa.
The substitution appeared to have paid dividends as City, just as they had done in the first half, virtually camped in their opponents’ area in search of the equaliser that, however, never came, as the Tsholotsho defence well commanded by Stima stood resolute.
Barely six minutes into the second half Mkhululi Moyo turned his marker, but his goal bound shot was timely intercepted by the impressive lanky Tsholotsho defender Thando Ncube, while Tsholotsho asked the questions on the counter. Chivandire could have silenced the City faithful among an estimated crowd of 200, but with Chirava, a hapless heap on the ground following a goal mouth melee, the Tsholotsho man shot wide, well off a yawning target.
Tsholotsho were not finished yet as substitute Nixon Gama did well to beat Nyasha Mukumbi following a spirited run from the left but he miscued. At the end of the match Ncube rightly said they had the better of the exchanges but were victims of fate.
“We conceded an early goal although we were the better team. Sometimes in football you need luck. What matters are results, we still need to fight another day,’’ said Ncube.
His counterpart Svesve said they had perfected the art of safeguarding their lead and hence it paid dividends.
“Sometimes at this level of the game you need to maintain your lead. You should be in shape tactically and you will prevail,’’ said Svesve.
Teams
Bulawayo City: L Chirava, N Mukumbi, L Ncube, B Dube (red card 44mins), X Moyo, M Maphosa (H Ncube , 45 mins), B Chikwena, I Kutsanzira, M Dube (M Ncube, 84th min), T Ndlovu (E Nkhulungo, 45 mins), M Moyo).
Tsholotsho: C Mariyoni, M Phiri, N Moyo, T Ncube, W Stima, B Ncube, B Madanhire, J Lupahla (P Ngwenya, 80th min), S Gorogodyo (O Ncube, 90th min), M Ponyera, D Chivandire (N Gama, 68th min).
Online Reporter