Former Motor Action and Warriors striker Musa Mguni opened his goal-scoring account in the Sogaz Championship in Russia when he scored the solitary goal in Terek Grozny’s 1-0 win over visiting Volga Nizhny Novgorod on Saturday.
It was only Grozny’s second win of the season after two draws and three losses and that pushed them to 11th position with eight points, six behind leaders Zenit St Petersburg in the 16-team championship.
The gangly former AC Omonia of Cyprus striker, had warmed to coach, Dutch legend Rudd Gullit and having played cameo roles in the last few matches, he came right in his sixth appearance to give his side maximum points.
According to reports from Russia, Grozny manager Ruud Gullit knew his side was in need of a response and welcomed attacking dynamo Blagoy Georgiev back into the starting eleven.
The opening half though offered few attacking highlights as both sides were highly disciplined and rarely ventured too far forward, lest they provide an opening at the back.
The first notable effort came after the break when Oleg Vlasov surged in off the right before playing in Maurício, only to see the young attacker push his effort from thirteen metres wide of the left post.
Following that chance, the stalemate continued with the odds weighing heavily on a nil-all draw. However, an error would pave the route to victory with thirteen minutes remaining in regulation time.
Via a long pass attempt, apparently inadvertently headed back by a Volga defender, Mguni raced for the ball and flicked over the head of the on-rushing goalkeeper.
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Grozny narrowly missed extending their lead later but with Volga unable to muster an advance Gullit’s side claimed the full three points.
Mguni was signed on February 2 after Gullit has spotted him playing for Ukrainian side Metalurgh Donetsk a month earlier.
He said then: “Gullit spotted me just after playing a friendly against his team(while turning out for Donetsk in January). I scored one goal, we won 2-1. He came and asked for permission to talk to me at my camp base and this is what he had to say, ‘I think you know why we are here right?’ I said, ‘Yeah, its pre- season, or maybe I hurt your goalkeeper or defender so I have to pay’. It was such a great atmosphere; the coach (Gullit) is such a gentleman and is very professional.”
Besides playing in Cyprus and Ukraine, Mguni made an appearance for South Africa’s Orlando Pirates and later Al Shabaab of the United Arab Emirates.
While Mguni was making news with his goalscoring instincts, former Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari, after eight games without a goal, helped his English Premiership side Blackburn Rovers to a crucial 1-0 win over Bolton at Ewood Park.
Benjani, who last scored against Liverpool in January, gave an energetic display but was subbed after 65 minutes.
With three games of the season to go, Rovers have 38 points from 35 matches and lie in 16th position, fighting relegation with Blackpool, Wigan Athletic, Wolves and basement side West Ham United.
