BY HENRY MHARA
HERENTALS . . . . . . (1) 2
HARARE CITY . . . . . . . .0
HERENTALS moved to sixth place on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League log after trouncing Harare City at the National Sports Stadium to complete a double over their city rivals.
A 21st minute goal by Tino Benza and a converted penalty by Blessing Majarira on 67th minute ensured a comfortable victory for the Students.
The victory saw them stretching their unbeaten run to six games and moved them to 27 points, eight behind log leaders Chicken Inn, who play today.
This game marked the start of the second round of matches following a two-week mid-season break.
Herentals coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva was naturally thrilled with the victory and is hoping this result will spur his team on.
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The defeat was Harare City’s second on the bounce and a frustrated Tawurayi Mangwiro admitted his charges did not come to the party.
City are on 11th position on the table with 18 points and could find themselves in the relegation zone by the end of the weekend if results elsewhere don’t go their way.
Mangwiro’s men enjoyed the early exchanges in this match.
Herentals took the lead against the run of play when Benza pressed the ball home from a rebound after an initial attempt by Blessing Majarira was blocked by goalkeeper Kelvin Shangiwa and a follow-up effort by Ali Maliselo was cleared off the line by a defender.
Harare City continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession, with Emmanuel Mandiranga and Stanley Masukuta causing problems, but the final pass was missing.
Mandiranga was put through by Clive Rupiya on the half-hour mark for City, but defender Gibson Chinobva recovered to make a goal-saving tackle.
William Kapumha almost increased the Students’ lead, but his dipping shot from a distance crashed against the cross bar as the home side went into the break leading.
Shangiwa was called to make a reaction save early in the second half to deny substitute Clemence Gobvu from point blank range after a quick free kick had caught the defenders napping.
The insurance goal eventually came on 75th minute when referee Washington Chari awarded Herentals a penalty after Majarira was hacked down inside the penalty box.
The big centre forward dusted himself up and sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.
Gobvu almost put gloss on the win with a few minutes remaining, but was again denied by the woodwork while substitute Denzel Chimwemwe blazed over from a yard out in injury time.
Teams
Herentals: T Chikosi, T Jim (D Chimwemwe, 80’), B Majarira (A Mataranyika, 80’), P Chama, A Maliselo, T Benza (A Majarira, 80’), I Benza (C Gobvu, 50’), G Chinobva (G Mukambi, 86’), W Chimbetu, W Kapumha, L Ruguchu
Harare City: K Shangiwa, H Chapusha, I Zambezi, Z Bizeki (D Masukuta, 75’) , C Rupiya (Z Semure, 55’), D Mudadi, S Masunda, E Ziocha, T January (J Chipangura, 75’), S Masukuta, E Mandiranga, T Dendera (W Muvirimi, 50’)
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