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NewsDay

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City bring down Chapungu

Sport
HARARE City sent high-flying Chapungu crashing at Rufaro Stadium in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match that saw coach Taurai Mangwiro walking out while the hosts ended the contest with 10-men

HARARE City sent high-flying Chapungu crashing at Rufaro Stadium in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match that saw coach Taurai Mangwiro walking out while the hosts ended the contest with 10-men.

BY HENRY MHARA HARARE CITY . . . . . (1) 2 CHAPUNGU . . . . . . . . . . 0

Honey Chimutimunzeve slid the ball past Chapungu goalkeeper Roy Mazingi after six minutes before the exciting Tinotenda Kadewere made sure of the points just after the hour mark.

The home side, though, finished the match with 10 men after defender Arnold Chivheya was sent off for a second bookable offence with 17 minutes remaining.

City coach Mangwiro, under pressure going into the match after a four-match winless streak, also walked out late on in what many observed as a protest against referee Pedzisai Chadya’s officiating.

Mangwiro later refused to address the media, relegating the duties to his assistant Mkhuphali Masuku who admitted that the win gave them a huge sigh of relief.

Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino acknowledged that his side was outplayed all-round.

City, looking for their first win since the first week of May, came flying out of the blocks and began the game at a ferocious pace, pinning the visitors back in their own half.

After creating a number of decent chances early on, City took a deserved lead when Chivheya, playing one of his best games, galloped forward on the left before delivering a cross which was turned home by Chimutimunzeve.

Good chances continued to fall for the home side and they should have been out of sight by halftime, but Mazingi kept his side in the match with heart-stopping saves, denying Munyaradzi Diro Nyenye and Kadewere what appeared sure goals.

In the second half, City carried on from where they had left as they continued to push forward for a cushion goal.

Midfielder James Jam tried his luck from range, his angled shot narrowly missing the target on 65th minute. Moments later, Kadewere sealed the win, and in style too.

The Young Warriors man won possession by bringing a high ball down with his head to set himself on the way, out-sprinting a defender before slotting it past the goalkeeper.

Kadewere celebrated the goal by dashing to Mangwiro whom he gave a passionate hug before the other players joined in in what could be seen as a show of solidarity with the under-fire coach.

Chapungu were reeling and forced to absorb more pressure because the relentless City were bombarding their box from all angles.

The hosts could have easily been 3-nil up on 70th minute, but substitute Francesco Zekumbawira completely missed the ball as he tried to connect home.

Three minutes later, Chivheya had committed another cynical foul and Chadya reached for his back pocket.

And the left-back who had been brilliant this far was sent off.

But then a wrong call by a linesman to award a throw-in to Chapungu and Mangwiro had seen enough as he stormed out of the technical area and went straight to the terraces from where he watched the rest of the match.

Masuku said his boss did not storm out, but had left for the inconvenience, though the coach never reached the dressing room. Line-ups:

Harare City — T Dube, M Diro Nyenye, A Chivheya (redcard, 73’), T Ndhlovu, C Dickson, T Samanja, J Jam, M Vengesai (D Kutyauripo, 77’), H Chimutimunzeve (W Manondo, 86’), T Kadewere, N Alifandika (F Zekumbawira, 51′).

Chapungu — R Mazingi, C Kwaramba, H Mugoniwa, M Muchingani, B Zabula, W Ngonya (L Mapuya, 46′), G Phiri, L Mukura (P Marufu, 60’), T Chitora, R Mhlanga (M Dikinya, 60’), A Tavarwisa.