adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE Zifa Northern Region Division One league broke new ground on Saturday when the two Yadah TV Knockout Cup semi-final double header at Gwanzura were screened live on the national television.
Mushowani beat 10-man Gunners as tempers flared in the second half with coach Kudakwashe Masaraure being ejected from the technical bench just after Mushowani scored their third goal.
Gunners will feel they got a raw deal from referee Nomore Matemera who allowed Mushowani to score a second, from what looked like an offside position, and then, crucially, turned down their appeals for a penalty when the ball was clearly handled in the area.
Gunners captain, Tendai Huwa, was sent for an early shower in the 79th minute for a second bookable offence.
Masaraure was unhappy that Mushowani’s third goal was allowed to stand, questioning if the ball had crossed the line, although television replays showed that it was a goal.
Mushowani took control of the game from the start and got their goals from Evans Katema who scored a brace in the 18th minute and 31st minute.
Captain Zivanai Mhanda weighed in with another goal in the 54th minute. Gunners had been denied a penalty in the 38th minute, after Mushowani’s Davis Kamhanga handled the ball in the box, which could have been a turning point in this game.
The former Premiership champions got their only goal from McDonald Motsi in the 87th minute when he beat Mushowani ‘keeper Admire Shonga from a close range.
Gunners assistant coach, Thanks Tengwe, said they lost to a better side.
“I think first of all we lost to a better side because they scored goals and we didn’t. We were playing good football but in a Cup game like this you don’t need to play good football, what you need is to score goals.
“And I think in the first 30 minutes we conceded two early goals, it kind of put us off because our game plan was to take the game to them.
“So we tried to defend and at the same time getting goals but overall performance the team was okay and it’s tough luck because we failed to score goals,” said Tengwe.
Tengwe said emotions got the better part of them.
“The emotions were high, it’s a game of football but tough luck, referees are also human beings, we needed to concentrate more on ourselves,” said Tengwe.
“And I think it’s a thing we will work out when we go back to training because it’s still game on in the championship race.
“We need to put all our efforts in the last four games of the championship race.”
Mushowani coach, Paul “Popopo” Chimalizeni, whose team enjoyed more support, said this was sweet revenge.
“This is sweet revenge because they beat us in the first leg of the league and when we played them at Lafarge we outclassed them but we drew.
“This time we knew it was a Cup game and at the end of the game there must be a winner, so we came out as the victors,” said Chimalizeni.
In the other semi-final, Ngezi needed just one goal from their leading goal scorer, Enasio Perezo, in 79th minute to beat ZRP Football Club 1-0 to book their place in the final. Ngezi coach, Clifton Kadurira, said they knew what to expect coming into the game.
“We played them before, so we corrected those areas where we came short in the league game. You know a Cup game is anyone’s game, it’s different from the league games.
“League games you play twice, Cup games you play just once.
“I am happy for Ngezi Platinum and the community. So I am looking forward to the final,” said Kadurira.
The Yadah TV Knock-out Cup final will be played on November 29 with the winners getting US$8 000.
Online Reporter