adminMunyaradi Musiiwa in Gweru
Whawha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
REFEREE Nomore Musundire hogged the limelight when he denied Whawha a clear goal that could have made a difference four minutes from time in this Castle Larger Premiership soccer match at Ascot yesterday.
Nelson Maziwisa beat his marker and released a low shot that beat Ashley Reyners in goals for Triangle but Musundire ruled it out for off-side, claiming that Albert Matewu was in an off-side position.
Earlier on Musundire had given Triangle a soft penalty in the 42nd minute after Nigel Gandari had brought down Pasca Manhanga in a tussle for possession.
But poetic justice was done as Stanley Chakwana dived to his right to deny Tawanda Muyendi from the spot-kick.
Away from the controversy, chances were few and far between with the first chance coming in the 12th when Roy Useni was sent through by Maziwisa but he shot wide.
Triangle made their first meaningful attempt at goal in the 25th minute when their towering striker Sakala Makundika headed wide after getting to the end of a fine cross from Pasca Manhanga.
Whawha could have grabbed an opener five minutes before the breather but Kenneth Buka failed to connect a delivery from Cleopas Kapupurika.
Five minutes after the interval Maziwisa fluffed a clear chance when he benefited from a back pass from Charles Rukwanhi but instead of going for the kill, he squared the ball to Useni but the pass was intercepted by Triangle goalkeeper Ashley Reyners.
A minute later Triangle coach Kelvin Kaindu made a double substitution by bringing in Hillary Bakacheza and Courage Denias for Lameck Nhamo and Tawanda Muyendi respectively but the changes failed to yield anything.
Seven minutes from time Zambian international Sakala was sent through by Manhanga but he lacked composure and fired the ball over the bar.
A minute later, Denias was a beneficiary of another fine delivery from Manhanga but fired off target with only the goalkeeper to beat.
In the 86th minute controversy struck when Whawha were denied what appeared to be a genuine goal after Maziwisa won possession and raced towards goal before releasing a low shot past a diving Reyners but second assistant referee Stella Ruvinga flagged for off-side adjudging that Albert Matewu was on an off-side position by racing towards goal.
The match was temporarily stopped when the Whawha technical team intruded into the pitch in protest and had to be removed by the police.
Whawha coach Lloyd Mutasa rued missed chances to win the match at home but refused to blame it on poor officiating.
“It’s disheartening when you fail to get maximum points and some of the reasons are beyond your control. Such is Zimbabwean football. Like I have always said before, I don’t want to comment or talk about referees. We just need to concentrate on our fight to survive which is now getting out of our hands,’’ said Mutasa.
His opposite number Kaindu was also not pleased with the draw as he was aiming to close the gap on log leaders Chicken Inn.
“We would have wanted to close the gap on Chicken Inn by winning this game. It’s one game we should have won but we wasted that penalty. It’s still game on, there are 21 points still to play for and we are still very much in the title chase,’’ said Kaindu.
Teams
Whawha: S Chakwana, R Horonga, V Madamombe, M Machazane, N Gandari, S Nhamo, L Genti, K Bhuka (P Maburutse 60th minute), C Kapupurika (A Njolomi 60th minute), R Useni (A Matewu 54th minute), N Maziwisa.
Triangle: A Rayners, C Rukwanhi, P Muzondo, D Ndlovu, J Tigere, C Kamhapa, H Muvundi (M Mukumba 55th minute), L Nhamo (C Denias 63 min), P Manhanga, Makundika Sakala, T Muyendi (H Bakacheza 56th minute)
Online Reporter