THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match between Harare City and Hwange had to be stopped for 10 minutes, as the visitors protested a penalty decision against them at Morris Depot in Harare yesterday.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE/ MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE
When the match resumed goalkeeper, Max Nyamupanedengu converted to cancel out Shepherd Gadzikwa’s first half goal, as the match ended in a draw.
The visitors looked poised to collect all the three points until the 72nd minute, when referee, Lawrence Zimondi adjudged that Oscar Lungu had handled the ball in a bid to clear an Edwin Madhananga header, which came off the crossbar.
Hwange disputed the decision and briefly walked out of the pitch before a change of heart.
The visitors’ coach, Nation Dube, was left fuming and even suggested a conspiracy against his team.
“If you look at the game, it was supposed to be played on Saturday and now it was pushed to a Sunday, why? Caps United have an international game it was better to play on Saturday and also go to support our fellow club. We were actually playing this match under protest,” he said after the match.
“Only the referee knows what happened in that penalty box. I was only pushing my players to play the match, but one point away from home is okay.”
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This was the second time that Hwange were left feeling robbed in Harare after another controversial incident in a 2-2 draw against Yadah FC last month.
The visitors, who had been playing second fiddle in the match, stole the lead just before halftime.
Livewire forward, Gadzikwa brilliantly directed a cross by Admire Banda into the top left corner of Nyamupanedengu’s goal to take the lead at the break.
Hwange had done well to ward off waves of Harare City attacks in the second half.
With 18 minutes to go, Madhanhanga’s header from a corner cannoned off the cross bar onto Lungu’s hand before he cleared amid a goal-mouth scramble and Zimondi pointed to the spot, leading to the equaliser in the 81st minute.
“Losing two points at home is a setback, but I am happy we didn’t lose. I think the referee’s decision was correct,” this was all hosts’ coach, Philani Ncube, could say.
Meanwhile, in a match played in Zvishavane, Shabanie Mine laboured to a narrow win against their more-fancied opponents, How Mine, courtesy of a second half strike from Dillan Chivandire.
After How Mine failed to take advantage of their dominance in the opening stanza, Chivandire punished the visitors four minutes after the breather, when he guided home Collin Dhuwa’s cross into the net.
Shabanie Mine coach, Takesure Chiragwi was happy that his charges collected maximum points, although he accepted that his opponents had played better football.
“It is a positive result for us and three points are very important to us. Sometimes you get three points without playing good football and sometimes you lose after playing good football. But overall, I am happy that we managed to get maximum points,” he said.
Losing coach, Kelvin Kaindu was disappointed with the result, but was quick to say he was not far from the leading pack.
“It was a difficult game for us. We played better in the first half, but we lost momentum in the other.
“This is my first defeat to Shabanie Mine since coming to Zimbabwe, but that is football.
“The league is getting interesting even if you look at the points difference,” he said.
