Harare City…(1) 1 Hwange…(1) 1
FC Platinum . . . (0) (2) Shabanie . . . (1) (1)
BY MICHAEL MADYIRA
Premier Soccer League rank outsiders Hwange stretched their unbeaten run to four games while Harare City continued to blow hot and cold following yesterday’s draw at Rufaro.
Martin Vengesai struck for City six minutes into the match before Phakamani Dube drew level for the visitors 14 minutes later.
Arriving in Harare on the backdrop of three straight losses, yesterday’s draw did not do any favour to Hwange who remained unmoved at fifth position.
Goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupangedengu’s antics saved City’s day and attracted special mention from assistant coach Masimba Dinyero. The capital city club’s standing also remained unchanged at 12th spot as they continue hovering just above the relegation zone.
“We survived their attacks on a few occasions but Maxwell was up to the task with some good saves and they failed to punish us,” said Dinyero.
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Dinyero stood in for his boss Biogboy Mawiwi who is upgrading his coaching badges and Hwange missed Nation Dube and his understudy Mbebelo Njekwa, to leave second assistant Brian Njovu in charge of their dugout.
“I am pleased with a point far away from home,” said Njovu. In Zvishavane, Mukudzei Chingere reports that FC Platinum recorded their sweetest victory of the season with a 2-1 win against Shabanie Mine in a match played in true derby fashion at Mandava yesterday.
Second half goals from Qadar Amini and Zambian import Aaron Katebe outweighed Xolani Ncube’s first half goal.
The result was too delicious to digest for the host as they finished the first half of the domestic league with a three point tally better than their neighbours.
The match was played before a close to capacity crowd with South African Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane part of the big crowd.
Losing Coach John Phiri felt his charges were sold a raw deal by referee Munyaradzi Majoni given the blameworthy manner in which the man on the centre handled the match especially in the first half.
“The referee [Majoni] gave the match to FC Platinum, we played well but we were frustrated by the referee,” said Phiri.
The winning coach Ralph Kawondera was happy for shepherding his charges to a victory against the fierce rivals.
“The guys played according to instructions in the second half, I told them to keep the ball on the ground and they did just that,” said Kawondera.
