HARARE, Apr. 20 (NewsDay Live) - Mandla Mpofu’s tenure as Simba Bhora head coach has been plunged into fresh uncertainty after his side scrambled to a dramatic draw against Agama at Wadzanayi Stadium yesterday.
While substitute Harrison Masina’s 90th-minute equaliser spared the hosts from a third consecutive defeat, the result stretched their winless run to three matches, leaving the supporters and the club’s top hierarchy highly agitated.
The draw leaves Simba Bhora on 10th position with 10 points, nine adrift of leaders Caps United after eight rounds of matches, while Agama remained second on the log with two points.
Simba Bhora started the Mashonaland Central derby with blistering intent. Webster Tafa ignited the home crowd in the 18th minute with a moment of individual brilliance, firing a long-range rocket that left Agama goalkeeper Wilson Brown clutching at air.
However, the story of the first half was one of missed opportunities.
McCartney Naweseb, Tapiwa Mandinyenya, and Nomore Tsabora all failed to convert glorious chances.
The most glaring miss came in the 38th minute when Tsabora, played clean through, hesitated long enough for Brown to smother the ball at his feet.
The profligacy proved costly.
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Just before the break, the referee pointed to the spot after Grey Kufandada was adjudged to have been impeded.
Hillary Kahanda stepped up and coolly slotted past Simba Chinani to level the scores.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Agama emerged from the interval the stronger side. After Erich Etienne squandered two early chances, he finally made amends in the 69th minute.
Rising highest at the back post, Etienne headed home a cross that Chinani had allowed to drift across the face of goal, turning the game on its head.
With the clock winding down and the pressure mounting on the touchline, Mpofu threw bodies forward.
His gamble paid off in the final minute of regulation time when Masina, a 64th-minute introduction, sneaked behind Agama defense to fire home his first goal of the season.
Despite finding the net at home for the first time this season, Mpofu was a man conflicted after the final whistle.
"I take a point, but maybe a little disappointed that we lost two points. On a positive note, we managed to score at our home ground for the first time. But we could have wrapped up the game in the first half... not half chances, but clear opportunities that we could have done ourselves a very good favour."
On the opposite bench, Agama coach Takaendesa Jongwe struggled to hide his frustration at letting a historic top-flight win slip away.
He dedicated the performance to club captain Tinashe Balakasi, who suffered the tragic loss of his eight-year-old son just hours before kick-off.
"We gave it our best shot," Jongwe said. "We started slowly; the first 20 minutes, they could have buried us. Fortunately, they only scored one... We came back for the second half stronger. We had possession and you can always score when you are keeping the ball. We got a lead and I thought we had done enough to get a win. The way we gave it away, it’s painful."
While the point halts the losing streak following defeats to Dynamos and Mwos, the atmosphere in Shamva remains tense. For Simba Bhora, a team with high ambitions, a draw against a promoted side may not be enough to silence the calls for change in the dugout.
Teams
Agama: W Brown, N Philiso, H Kahanda, T Daka, C Petros, L Chavinda, E Etienne, B Chipanera, C Mashonganyika (Gundani, 80'), R Nyampurika, G Kufandada (Mashumba, 80').
Simba Bhora: S Chinani, W Tafa, N Tsabora (C Tsamba, 64'), B Ndereki, T Chipunza (N Tigere, 76'), B Ncube (A Silla, 64'), S Damaseb, I Nyanhi (Kuleya, 76'), K Eib, T Naweseb (H Masina, 64'), T Mandinyenya
