BULAWAYO CHIEFS . . . . 0
BULAWAYO CITY . . . . (0) 1
VETERAN striker Obadiah Tarumbwa's optional time goal put Bulawayo City's Castle Lager Premier Soccer League survival in motion as they edged a 10-men Bulawayo Chiefs at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
Tarumbwa came to the end of a Leslie Lunga header, two minutes into optional time with a flashing header that beat goalkeeper Matripples Muleya, who otherwise had a good game.
That win took Bulawayo City to 27 points with four games to go to the end of the season.
Chiefs' Malvin Mkolo was sent off for a second bookable offence for a crude tackle on City striker Itayi Makopa a minute before the end of the first half.
It was a game that Bulawayo chiefs could easily have won earlier but wasted a number of chances.
Coach Farai Tawachera was happy with the victory after losing four of his last games.
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"It was a difficult game. We were lucky getting that goal. We wasted a lot of chances. We thank God for that win. We need to play our games and see where it takes us. What is key is to continue collecting maximum points," Tawachera said.
The first half belonged to City who had control of the game and three minutes into the game Genius Mutumgamiri had his shot from a free-kick outside the penalty box saved by Muleya.
Muleya came to Chiefs' rescue once again in the 35th minute when he saved a header by Itayi Makopa.
Makopa's exploits that got Chiefs defender Mkolo expelled resulted in a wasted effort a result of crude foul by Elshamar Farasi from a free kick before the referee ended the first half.
City continued the onslaught in the second half but still the goals were elusive.
They just got a point from Bulawayo Chiefs that took them to 25 points to remain rooted on the second spot from the bottom of the log-standings.
The Ninjas, who are safe got a chance in the 75th minute from MaClive Phiri just outside the box but the lanky defender watched his effort narrowly miss the upright, one of the few Chiefs chances in the last quarter of the game as they continuously mounted attack on City.
Thulani Sibanda took charge of Chiefs with head coach Nilton Terroso watching from the terraces.
"We played well, created chances but could not bury them. That red card was the turning point. Being a man down you have to work extra hard," Sibanda said.
