BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Black Rhinos..(1)2 Hwange………… (1)1
FORMER Dynamos and Highlanders midfielder Masimba Mambare scored a stoppage time winner to give Black Rhinos a second win in three days in a pulsating Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter against Hwange at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Rhinos, who beat Bulawayo Chiefs 1-0 on Wednesday, came from a goal down to beat the coalminers, who are enjoying their return to top-flight football, in sixth place on the log standings.
Striker Moses Demera cancelled out Dingani Maposa’s early goal in the first half before Mambare won the game for the army side.
The home side coach Herbert Maruwa was full of praise for Hwange.
“It was a good game from both teams, Hwange played very well and we were lucky to get a goal in the last minute,” Maruwa said.
“They were attacking from all angles, but we managed to defend at the end of the day and manage to get the three points. It’s credit to Hwange and credit to my boys.”
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Maposa gave Hwange a 12th minute lead after goalkeeper Blessing Mandimutsira mishandled Tafara Chese’s initial shot and the striker bundled home the rebound from close range.
Black Rhinos did not take long to restore parity as Demera blasted into the roof of the net after Wellington Taderera slid through a perfect pass 10 minutes later.
Immediately, the pendulum swung in Hwange’s favour with the coal miners dominating the exchanges, pushing to restore their lead.
Maposa thought he had given the visitors a welcome lead, but his low shot was cleared off the line by Bruce Homora late in the first half.
Rhinos continued to live a charmed life, as another Maposa effort beat the goalkeeper and cannoned off the crossbar moments later.
Francesca Zekumbawire used his height to climb highest to meet Farai Banda’s freekick from wide, but he failed to direct his header.
Mambare ensured maximum points for Rhinos benefiting from a goalmouth melee to poke the ball home from close range.
Hwange coach Nation Dube was livid with his defence.
“We defended badly,” he said. “It was loss of concentration because if you start raising up your hand trying to be the referee that is loss of concentration. We are going back to the drawing board to see how we can rectify our defence and we will see how we play from there,” he said.
