Yadah FC.(1)0 Triangle….0
Veteran striker Ralph Matema scored the solitary first half goal that could help Yadah FC pull off a miracle escape from relegation on the final day after a hard-fought victory over Lowveld visitors Triangle United at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
The victory brightened the Miracle Boys’ chances of survival as they moved one place up the ladder into 15th place with 38 points. Despite remaining in relegation zone, Yadah are now tied on points with Bulawayo Chiefs on 14th place and TelOne, who sit on position 13, but the two have a game in hand.
Relegated Mushowani Stars are bottom of the table with 30 points, while Hwange are second from bottom, having amassed 33 points thus far and Harare City on 16th place on 37 points.
Four teams will be relegated to the lower leagues when the season concludes on Saturday.
Yadah could complete the escape from relegation if they beat relegated Mushowani Stars in Bindura on Saturday.
“It’s still game on because we have to play Mushowani at the weekend and if we can play for a win, we can survive relegation. As a coach, I want to survive, but I don’t want to underrate Mushowani, they are playing in their backyard and we need maximum concentration as well as to convert our chances,” Yadah coach Genesis Mangombe said after the match.
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The hosts were the better side at the slippery Rufaro Stadium and star forward Leeroy Mavunga failed to capitalise on defensive mix-up in the Triangle box on the 18th minute.
Triangle goalkeeper Ronald Mudimu would produce a brilliant point blank, save to deny Mavunga after another mistake at the visitor’s backline on the half hour mark.
Mavunga would make amends six minutes before the break with a curling effort that was tipped off the crossbar by Mudimu and the rebound was bundled home by Matema.
Gerald Bero fluffed a good chance for Triangle in the first half stoppage time.
Triangle piled on the pressure in the second half, but the equaliser remained elusive as Yadah hung on for a fourth win in five matches.
“Tough luck to team Triangle; it was a well-handled match. Well, it is a small margin that separates the two teams. It was a game typified by a lot of technical mistakes from both sides.
Defensively, we were poor today and we have our goalkeeper to thank in some of the situations,” Triangle coach Taurai Mangwiro said after the match.
