FC PLATINUM . . . . . . (1) (2) Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 FC PLATINUM promising forward Ishmael Wadi ensured the miners returned to winning ways with a last-minute strike in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League duel at Mandava yesterday.
BY MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE
The miners came into the match desperate for maximum points to restore their lost mojo after they had relinquished top spot in the campaign.
The result means they can safely reclaim their position at the summit if they win their game in hand against champions Chicken Inn.
The Zvishavane-based side set the tone for maximum points as early as the second minute when former Warriors attacker Rodwell Chinyengetere pounced for his first goal in FC Platinum colours.
The hosts wasted numerous chances to wrap the match, with Tarisai Rukanda the chief culprit with a glut of missed opportunities.
The visitors threatened on the other hand, with Malvern Gaki their most influential player upfront, but he was denied a crack at goal.
Wadi added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time, showing coach Norman Mapeza what he was missing when he kept the misfiring Rukanda in the game longer than necessary.
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After the match, Mapeza said he was happy to bounce back with a win, but said his side had to collect more points before fierce battles started in the second half of the campaign.
“It was very important for us to bounce back to winning ways. They [Triangle] came at us in the second half, but I am happy with the defence. They managed to stop them from making shots on target,” he said.
“We are wasting chances, but the good thing is that we are creating them. We now have to work on the final touch.
“We just want to keep on collecting points, particularly in the first half of the season because in the second half, it will be war. We do not want to dwell much on the statistics at this stage.”
Losing coach David Mandigora blamed missed chances for the loss.
“We created a few chances today and for those few we created, we failed to utilise them. We have to work on our conversion for our next game,” he said. Teams:
FC Platinum: P Mhari, I Nekati, G Bello, K Moyo, E Moyo, W Mhango, R Chinyengetere (W Kamudyariwa 90), N Masuku, W Musona, T Rukanda (I Wadi 78), M Mudehwe Triangle: T Chilenga, D Phiri, N Meson, D Dzvinyai, G Zhokinyi, T Huwa, M Mukumba, M Gaki, D Chirambamuriwo (L Nhamo 40), T Muyendi (S Makoni 61), C Denias (T Dephistara 81) Yesterday’s Results at a glance: Ngezi Platinum 1-0 Border Strikers, Tsholotsho 0-1 Chicken Inn, FC Platinum 2-0 Triangle, Harare City 0-2 Dynamos Today’s Fixtures: CAPS United v Bulawayo City (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders v ZPC Kariba (Barbourfields), Hwange v Mutare City Rovers (Colliery)
