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Both teams played entertaining soccer but failed to convert chances that came their way.
It was also a game the Bulawayo referee Happy Mabhena controlled very well as he stamped his authority in the tense-match which did not have a single incident of missiles being thrown on to the pitch.
FC Platinum will however feel robbed after they were denied what looked like a penalty with Shabanie fans also arguing that Daniel Vheremu should have been given a red card when he hacked down Tarisai Rukanda.
Shabanie came into the match having lost thrice to the platinum miners. In their maiden year last year FC Platinum beat Shabanie Mine 3-1 in their opening match before nearly condemning them to the unfashionable Division One when they beat them 1-0 in controversial circumstances.
This season the two teams drew 2-2 at Mandava Stadium with Charles Sibanda and Nelson Maziwisa scoring braces but Shabanie were to be knocked out of the prestigious Mbada Cup two weeks ago.
It was a different story yesterday as the asbestos miners came into the match seeking revenge and attacked from the first whistle but found Tafadzwa Dube in sparkling form with Vheremu and Zephaniah Ngodzo playing their hearts out.
Shabanie Mine could have scored a goal in the 13th minute but a freekick from Pervington Zimunya was blocked for a corner by Tafadzwa Dube. Caleb Masocha who was wearing the captain’s armband then blazed an indirect freekick awarded to the Shabanie Mine in the box with Dube on the other side of the action in the 27th minute.
With the FC Platinum back pedaling Tafadzwa Mombeshora could not believe his eyes in the 33rd minute when Dube dived well to his right to block his header for a corner which Shabanie failed to utilise.
Then came a moment of brilliance from Rukanda who weaved his way past Ngodzo and Vheremu on the right and blazed a shot that missed the target with inches in the 43rd minute.
Platinum came back a rejuvenated side after the breather and could have punished Shabanie in the 55th minute but Roy Mazingi was the stumbling block as he tipped a freekick for a corner.
Sensing danger Shabanie piled pressure and had fans on the edge of their seats when super substitute Farai Mususunye released a scorcher that beat goalkeeper Dube but Ngodzo emerged from nowhere to block the effort for a corner in the 78th minute.
Tendai Chikuni blamed the match officials for the draw.
“Today’s results were determined by the match officials as I witnessed bad officiating and it was one of the worst that I have witnessed. Shabanie played well in the first half and we controlled the second,” he said.
Shabanie Mine assistant coach Elvis Muuya was happy with the draw.
“The match was 50-50 as both teams had their chances. We failed to convert and a draw was the fairest result. I am happy that the game was played under a peaceful environment and I would like to thank our fans for rallying behind the team,” said Muuya.
Teams
Shabanie Mine: R Mazingi, S Choenda, M Mombeshora, W Ngonya, P Zimunya, C Masocha, E Phiri, S Muchabayiwa, T Rukanda (F Mususunye 77th minute), N Maziwisa, R Sibanda
FC Platinum: T Dube, D Vheremu, T Kamusoko, Z Ngodzo, S Shoko, Q Amin, M Katsvairo (L Matawu 74th minute), A Sadiki, D Ngoma, W Ndiweni, C Sibanda (W Manondo 65th minute)
Online Reporter