FC Platinum 1 How Mine 0
Chapungu 1 Shabanie Mine 1
FC Platinum hopes of claiming their maiden Castle Lager Premiership championship remain alive following a narrow win over a stuttering How Mine at Mandava Stadium yesterday.
A 45th minute goal from Kevin Moyo was enough to ensure that Pure Platinum Play bagged the three important points.
In the wake of the victory, FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza said his squad’s main objective was to make sure they collect maximum points in each game from now until the end of the season.
“The most important thing is that we managed to collect three points at home and we hope to continue with the momentum,” he said.
“We want to be scoring more and ensure that our play remains consistent as the season enters home stretch; we want to have something to brag about.
“It was a difficult game, but we managed to win. Our opponents had a strong team and game plan, but we were the better side. “The good thing is that we have now gone for four games without conceding a goal and we hope that in our next game we will do more and score more.”
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However, How Mine gaffer Kelvin Kaindu felt hard done by the match officials after Praise Tonha was sent off for a second bookable offence.
“We conceded a soft goal, but we could have done better to defend our goals. Generally, we played well,” he said.
“I feel hard done by the referee for giving Praise Tonha a red card, but such is football and we hope to do better in the next assignment.“
Meanwhile, at Ascot Stadium a stubborn Shabanie Mine kept their hopes of escaping relegation alive after they produced a solid performance in the second half to hold Chapungu in a Castle Lager Premiership tie played yesterday.
Shabanie Mine played the better part of the match with 10 men after Joe Nyabinde was given his marching orders in the 36th minute for a high boot, which caught Chapungu striker Patrick Khumbula on the shoulder.
The hosts were first to score with their pressure paying dividends in the 45th minute when Brighton Mugoni converted a penalty after an under-pressure Benjamin Mukundu handled the ball in the box.
The Chinda Boys came from the breather rejuvenated and equalised after 67 minutes when Trevor Ajana produced a defence-splitting pass that found substitute Tinashe Mupunhu, who made no mistake, beating the Chapungu goal minder Roy Mazingi. Chapungu almost doubled the goals through in-form Mugoni, but his 86th minute long-range shot was saved by a diving Petros Moyo.
Shabanie Mine coach Takesure Chiragwi looked satisfied after his team showed composure by containing the pressure after being reduced to 10 men.
“The second half response showed that the guys wanted to win and they fought for every ball, which is a good sign and with a man down, it’s plausible that we created some numerical chances and we managed to score and we also managed to keep that goal,” he said.
However, his counterpart Tendai Chikuni looked shattered after his squad failed to maintain their winning form.
“We were all over this team. I thought we were going to score five goals. The boys failed to apply themselves. They were generally too casual in the second half and it affected us,” he said.
