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Zimpapers Sports Hub
TWO Zimbabwe internationals, Jordan Zemura, and Teenage Hadebe, survived relegation in contrasting fashion on the final day of their respective European top-flight leagues on Sunday evening.
Zemura featured for three minutes, introduced in the referee’s optional time, as Udinese secured a place in the Italian Serie A next season with a 1-0 win away to fellow relegation candidates Frosinone on one of the most dramatic conclusions.
Frosinone were relegated as Empoli, who started the day occupying the remaining relegation slot, snatched an injury-time winner against Roma.
When Empoli took the 2-1 lead over Roma, Frosinone still had three minutes to force a draw against Udinese, an outcome that would have sent Zemura’s side back to Serie B.
At the end of the game, Zemura was captured on camera in a long embrace with coach Fabio Cannavaro despite having been reduced to a bit-part player since the appointment of the Italian legend as head coach.
Zemura played for a combined 29 minutes in the six games since Cannavaro’s arrival, the longest being the last 20 minutes of the home defeat against Roma on April 25 while there were three-minute cameos — on Sunday and in 1-1 draws against Bologna and Napoli.
He was an unused substitute in successive matches against Lecce and Empoli on May 13 and 19 respectively.
Overall, Zemura played under three coaches in his debut Serie A season after joining Udinese from English Premiership side, Bournemouth.
He was in the squad on 34 occasions, made the starting line-up on 10 occasions, came in as a substitute on 17 occasions, and was an unused substitute on seven match days while injury sidelined him for four matches.
In Turkey, Hadebe’s Konyaspor suffered a 1-3 home loss to champions Galatasaray but still survived as 17th placed Ankaragücü squandered a 2-1 lead in the 87th minute and lost 2-4 against third-placed Trabzonspor.
As a result, Konyaspor finished a place above relegation.
Hadebe, who returned to the Turkish Super Lig during the midseason transfer window from the US Major League, was taken off at halftime in a tactical change for Konyaspor as they trailed 0-1 at the break.
However, the change did not seem to work as Galatasaray scored two goals in three minutes early in the second half to extend the lead to 3-0 after 53 minutes while the hosts reduced arrears in the 78th minute.
Since joining Konyaspor, the 28-year-old Hadebe made the squad 12 times and was in the starting eleven on 11 occasions, and was an unused substitute once.
Hadebe, whose short-term contract at Konyaspor is coming to an end, lasted the distance in eight of the matches, made 70 minutes and 72 in two other matches while Sunday was the only time he did not make the second half.
Final Standings
Italian Serie A
P W D L F A Pts
Inter Milan 38 29 7 2 89 22 94
AC Milan 38 22 9 7 76 49 75
Juventus 38 19 14 5 54 31 71
Atalanta 37 21 6 10 70 39 69
Bologna 38 18 14 6 54 32 68
Roma 38 18 9 11 65 46 63
Lazio 38 18 7 13 49 39 61
Fiorentina 37 16 9 12 58 44 57
Torino 38 13 14 11 36 36 53
Napoli 38 13 14 11 55 48 53
Genoa 38 12 13 13 45 45 49
Monza 38 11 12 15 39 51 45
Verona 38 9 11 18 38 51 38
Lecce 38 8 14 16 32 54 38
Udinese 38 6 19 13 37 53 37
Cagliari 38 8 12 18 42 68 36
Empoli 38 9 9 20 29 54 36
Frosinone 38 8 11 19 44 69 35
Sassuolo 38 7 9 22 43 75 30
Salernitana 38 2 11 25 32 81 17
Turkey Super Lig
P W D L F A Pts
Galatasaray 38 33 3 2 92 26 102
Fenerbahce 38 31 6 1 99 31 99
Trabzonspor 38 21 4 13 69 50 67
Istanbul Basak 38 18 7 13 57 43 61
Kasımpaşa 38 16 8 14 62 65 56
Besiktas 38 16 8 14 52 47 56
Sivasspor 38 14 12 12 47 54 54
Alanyaspor 38 12 16 10 53 50 52
Rizespor 38 14 8 16 48 58 50
Antalyaspor 38 12 13 13 44 49 49
Gaziantep FK 38 12 8 18 50 57 44
Demirspor 38 10 14 14 54 61 44
Samsunspor 38 11 10 17 42 52 43
Kayserispor 38 11 12 15 44 57 42
Hatayspor 38 9 14 15 45 52 41
Konyaspor 38 9 14 15 40 53 41
Ankaragücü 38 8 16 14 46 52 40
Karagümrük 38 10 10 18 49 52 40
Pendikspor 38 9 10 19 42 73 37
İstanbulspor 38 4 7 27 27 80 16
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter