Hwange . . . . . . . .(2) 4 Jamhuri . . . . . . . . (0) 1 (Hwange win 7-1 on aggregate)
Hwange FC are through to the first round of the Orange Caf Confederation Cup after beating Zanzibar’s Jamhuri at the Colliery Stadium yesterday.
Man-of-the-match Ocean Mpofu, who was substituted in 75th minute to make way for Oscar Lungu, scored the two goals that ensured the coalminers make a date with El Amal Otbara on the weekend of March 23-25 in the first round of the tournament.
The first goal was scored by new signing Allan Tavariswa in 25th minute while captain Rodwell Chinyengetere notched up the second on the stroke of half time before Mpofu banged in two fantastic goals in the 47th and 73rd minutes.
Tavariswa made it four for Hwange after a goalmouth mêlée saw Jamhuri goalkeeper Jaffer Said Talib failing to safely collect an effort by attacking midfielder Tonisani Sibelo.
Just before Botswana referee Leso Kutlwano could blow to end the first half, Chinyengetere fired past Talib after receiving a pass from out-of-form midfielder Nkosana Siwela who had dribbled past Jamhuri defender Hussein Omar Said from the left flank.
Two minutes into the second half, Hwange were awarded a free-kick just outside the Jamhuri penalty box and Mpofu let off a thunderbolt that beat the busy Talib all systems out.
In the 73rd minute, outstanding Mpofu dribbled past a host of Jamhuri defenders and the goalkeeper after receiving a pass from Farai Vimisayi before sealing the Indian Ocean islanders’ fate.
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Hwange could have scored more goals, especially in the first half, but they wasted several chances with Tavariswa and Fransisco Zvikumbawire the main culprits.
Head coach Nation Dube was ecstatic about the win and going into the first round of the Confederation Cup, but was not happy with yesterday’s performance.
“Our next game will be difficult. We were impressed with the away match, but the boys were a bit relaxed in this game. Probably it was because of the result from the first game,” Dube said after the match.
Jamhuri head coach Renatus Shija blamed his boys’ lacklustre performance on the 100km distance the team travelled from Victoria Falls where they were booked. He also said the training facilities in the resort town were not conducive.
Jamhuri trained at the Colliery on Friday after arriving in the country on Wednesday and travelling more than 800km by road from Harare. “We were just tired and that is what affected us,” Shija said.
Teams Hwange: P Mhari, T Sibelo, M Mungadze, E Chipeta, D Boriwondo, O Mpofu (O Lungu 75th min), F Vimisayi, R Chinyengetere, F Zvikumbawire (T Mareya 57th min), A Tavariswa, N Siwela Jamhuri: J Talib, O Mustafa (M Shamban 48th min), M Said, H Said, M Masoud, J Mmanga, B Futo, S Nuhu, A Mmanga, A Ali (A Mussa 61st min), A Othman
