adminTobias Mandoreba, Hwange Sports Correspondent
SOCCER fans in Hwange town are still on cloud nine and reeling from a hangover after the team’s wildly celebrated triumph over visiting Flame Lily in a Castle Lager Premier league match played at the Colliery Stadium last Sunday.
The coalminers produced a dazzling performance to end an eight match winless streak punctuated by two losses and six draws and even Flame Lily must have made the long trip back home wondering how on earth they left the coal mining town without a double digit score line defeat as Chipangano ran riot from the first whistle only to miss a glut of clear cut goal scoring opportunities.
Chronicle Sport took to the streets of Hwange town and the neighbouring Lukosi area on the outskirts of the town to gauge the mood after most drinking spots recorded brisk business on Sunday evening in an atmosphere also characterised by blaring car horns and partying up to the early hours of Monday morning.
First to open up was the vibrant Hwange FC supporters’ chairperson Maybin Dizomba who was clearly still in a celebratory mood two days after Hwange’s first victory of the season.
“The past two days my sleep has been filled with visions of the Sunday game as the boys dished out some delightful football and I can declare that the future now looks bright as self-belief has been restored in the boys. The supporters never abandoned the team throughout this winless streak.” he said.
The supporters grouping’s secretary, Lisutu Ndlovu, said the victory was the turning point in Chipangano’s season.
“The win was crucial and judging by the boys’ display, I’m sure the season has now started in earnest for us and it will be happiness week in week out.” he declared.
Another supporter from Lwendulu Village, Misheck “Chinuna” Ncube said:
“The team is now back online like what they say in technology and Flame Lily should thank their lucky stars as we missed over a dozen chances.”
Clad in a Hwange jersey at the busy Lukosi business centre, some 15km out of Hwange town, another well-known vocal supporter Ishmael Kwidini was all praises for Nation Dube’s charges.
“The boys played with a lot of zeal and showed a desire to win the match and bring back smiles on our faces. Such mentality is needed as we now seek to climb up the ladder at lightning pace” said the charismatic Kwidini.
Gift Atwabi Phiri from Madumabisa Village said the strikers need to be more clinical to give teams a nightmare when they face Hwange in upcoming games.
“I think we missed over 20 chances on Sunday and if we work on our finishing then I feel pity for teams in the upcoming games because we will be in no mood for favours. People mocked us when we struggled to find our rhythm but that is over now,” said Phiri.
Oliver Mwanjali from Lusumbami Village said he has faith in the young players in the team.
“I was impressed by a number of young players in the team like Innocent Muchenekwa, Pritchard Mpelele, Phakamani Dube and substitutes Gift Mbweti and Tafara Chese and we need them more often in the side so that teams sweat on the pitch as the boys still have lots of energy in them.” he said.
Ayodele Wolfenden from Makwika Village singled out lanky striker Alec Marime for the glorious Sunday.
“It was an amazing show by the boys from defence to attack but my standout player was Marime who contributed immensely to the victory and we are now going up from here and there is no stopping,” said Wolfenden.
The miners, with their tails up, face Harare City in the capital on Saturday hoping to continue from where they left against Flame Lily in a match they prevailed through goals from young Muchenekwa and ageless striker Gilbert Zulu to take their tally to nine points from nine matches while anchored on 11th position. The victory came without three of their seasoned players, skipper Gerald Ndlovu, Munyaradzi Mungaze and Evans Rusike who were all suspended after picking up three yellow cards each.
Online Reporter