Black Mambas . . . . . (0) 2 Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 BLACK Mambas eased their relegation worries with a priceless victory over Hwange in a rescheduled Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Morris Depot yesterday. Report by Henry MharaSports Reporter
Attacking midfielder Peter Kachirika scored a second half brace to lift the police outfit one place up to 11th position with 28 points. Hwange’s defeat was their eighth in a row and left the Colliery side just one place above the relegation cut-off point with 26 points. Relegation worries should surely be beginning to stalk the Nation Dube-coached side.
Mambas’ assistant coach Martin Bonongwe said: “These are very crucial three points for us as we have managed to leapfrog Hwange, but we are not yet safe. We have to continue picking up points in the next fixtures.”
Black Mambas travel to Bulawayo this weekend for a date against Highlanders, while Hwange host Dynamos at the Colliery, two matches that are very significant on the way the relegation battle, as well as the title race will shape up.
Dube, who oversaw his first match following the abrupt resignation of manager Tennant Chilumba this week, still believes his team will survive the axe.
“I’m impressed with the way the team played, especially in the first half when we created some chances, but couldn’t put them away. We are worried about relegation, that is why there are some reshuffles that have been happening at the club. We still have some games to play and with a performance like today’s, I’m confident we will make it,” said Dube.
Hwange came out of the blocks flying and created the best chances of the first half with Evans Rusike blasting over the bar from a metre out as early as the eighth minute.
They were to pay for the earlier misses when Kachirika tapped in from close range in the 61st minute before the Mambas midfielder wrapped up the match four minutes from time, rounding up goalkeeper Timothy Sibanda after receiving another superb pass from the lively Godfrey Mangani.
