MWOS FC............(0)1
Bikita Minerals...(0)0
Everson Feremba emerged as MWOS FC's hero, scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner to secure a crucial home victory over a resilient 10-man Bikita Minerals at Ngoni Stadium yesterday.
Bikita Minerals, playing without head coach Wilson Mtekede, who is on Cosafa duty in Namibia, faced an uphill battle after Chelsea Nyakope received a straight red card for an aggressive tackle on Tinotenda Mutyambizi just before halftime, forcing them to play the entire second half with a man down.
Feremba, brought into the match in the 72nd minute for Valentine Katsande, proved to be the difference.
The forward skillfully controlled a Wilson Mensah shot before turning and firing the ball into the roof of the net, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
The vital win ensures MWOS FC retains its position at the top of the standings and maintains their impressive 100% home record.
MWOS FC coach Lloyd Mutasa expressed his delight with the hard-fought victory.
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“Another very difficult match. It took us almost 90 minutes to get a goal. I am happy that they did what they have always been doing, which is fighting to the death, and at the end of it, after persevering, we managed to get the three points,” he said.
Mutasa also highlighted the significance of their unbeaten home run.
“I am happy we have managed to keep the record intact. I think we are out of the relegation zone now. Our next target is something like a top-eight finish. For us as the technical team, it's one game at a time, and maybe if we win the next game, we'll see how it goes.”
MWOS FC started strongly, with Tafadzwa George's free-kick from the edge of the box forcing a good save from Bikita Minerals goalkeeper Hilton Dendera.
Salif Cheya, Arthur Banda, and Innocent Zambezi also had early chances within the first 15 minutes.
Bikita Minerals gradually clawed their way back into the game and arguably created the best opportunity of the first half.
Pascal Shumbaimwe set up Innocent Masiwa in the MWOS box, but Masiwa's shot from the edge of the six-yard box was a tame effort, easily saved by Francis Tizayi.
The triple substitution at halftime saw Billy Veremu, Jeremiah Makangira, and Wilson Mensah come in for Nigel Matinha, Tafadzwa George, and Salif Cheya respectively, injecting fresh impetus into the MWOS attack.
Veremu almost made an instant impact, receiving a cross from Valentine Katsande and unleashing a first-time volley that drew another brilliant save from Dendera.
MWOS continued to pile on the pressure, but the resolute Bikita Minerals defence held firm, denying them a breakthrough until Feremba's late heroics.
Bikita Minerals assistant coach Arnold Jani praised his players for their fighting spirit despite the painful loss.
“It's painful that we lost it in the last minutes. I think we are to blame, but the boys, they really gave their all. It was just a lapse of concentration in the last minutes. But overall, I would just like to give credit to the boys.
They did a tremendous job, despite us being one man down. They fought until the last minute," he remarked.
Teams:
MWOS FC: F Tizayi, T Nyabunze, V Katsande (E Feremba 72'), I Zambezi, M Murambiwa, T Mutyambizi, T George (J Makangira 46'), M Mudzuka (T Matongorere 72'), S Cheya (B Veremu 46'), A Banda, N Matinha (W Mensah 46')
Bikita Minerals: H Dendera, C Nyakope, F Moyo, C Munzabwa, P Shumbaimwe, B Bera, C Mugariri, R Mlenga (T Chari 46'), R Tayedza, I Masiwa, F Banda
