Buffaloes . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1 Shabanie Mine. . . . . . (0)3
KENNETH NYANGANI
SOMETHING, somewhere is not well at Buffaloes.
At Sakubva yesterday, they succumbed to a Shabanie Mine second-half comeback in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match to leave them winless in their last five games.
Their last home match also saw a 2-1 defeat by Mambas and when Shepherd Nkata headed home a Phillip Thembani corner-kick in the ninth minute, one could have thought better things were about to come for the Saul Chaminuka-coached side.
But they allowed Shabanie to fight back through Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe, Fungai Chirinda and Caleb Masocha.
After taking the lead, Buffaloes dominated their opponents, but failed to increase their tally while Shabanie were content with soaking the pressure, waiting for that lucky break.
And it finally came in the 71st minute when Kunyarimwe found the equaliser from a free-kick that was deflected in the nets by the army side’s wall.
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Seven minutes later, former Masvingo United player Pervington Zimunya watched in agony as his shot scratched some paint off the upright post with the hosts’ goalkeeper Hopewell Bere a beaten man.
Buffaloes striker Steven Sibanda had a chance to score, but he failed to direct home a Dananai Chinowawa cross.
The Chinda Boys then surged when midfielder Chirinda, who had a good game, scored the all-important goal from a goalmouth melee. In the 88th minute, the army side’s call for a penalty was shot down by the first assistant referee Tapfumanei Mutengwa after striker Jacob Muzokomba was pulled down by goalkeeper Victor Twaliki in his box.
Then it was left to Masocha to put the final nail on the coffin in added time of the match. Buffaloes striker Never Musvipa lost possession on the middle of the park and substitute Erea Phiri picked up the ball before embarking on a solo run to set up Masocha for the third goal.
Shabanie coach Luke Masomere said he was very happy that they realised their mistakes in the first half before correcting them in the second half.
“We really performed badly in the first minutes of the game, but we had a good game after the break because we rectified our mistakes. We were playing individual soccer in the first half, but we played collectively in the second half,” he said.
Chaminuka said they should have won the match in the first half. “We failed and we were punished. We wanted to win, but that was not the case,” he said.
Results Yesterday Highlanders 2-1 Black Mambas, Caps United 2-1 FC Platinum, Black Rhinos 2-1 Triangle, Buffaloes 1-3 Shabanie Mine, Harare City 2-0 Tripple B Saturday Motor Action 0-2 Dynamos, How Mine 0-1 Chicken Inn
