Castle Lager Match-Day 23 Round-Up
By Perkins-Tino Bare
It was a Marikana clash at Luveve
stadium yesterday as the miners went head to head with FC platinum
downing How Mine in a manner which clearly showed that they still had
their eye on nothing else but the league title this year. Dynamos on
the other hand showed a great boncebackability as they blew away a
seemingly drunk side getting a total of 5 goals in the first half.
The three wins see them maintaining their spots with the gamecocks
leading the race by 5 points whilst Dynamos are in 3rd
trailing by 7 points. Triangle are now all but out of the race as
they lie 4th 12 points behind the leaders.
You Cant Stop Me!
This year`s league title seems to be
headed for a dramatic enduing as the pace-setters the Gamecocks seem
are not wavering in their quesst at bringing the title back to
Bukawayo after a painful 9 years. Going into match-day 23 leading the
pack by a comfortable 5 points, Chicken Inn had a rather challenging
task ahead of them as they made a long trip to Gibbo stadium where
they played Kelvin Kaindu`s triangle which hasn`t won a league match
in quite a while. Trinagle struck nice and early as Hillary Bakacheza
got them the lead ensuring that they went to the break leading the
gamecocks. Second Half saw a change of fortunes as Edmore
Chirambadare equalised in the 69th minute before Ishamel
Lawe got them the lead in the 75th minute to wrap-up the
match 2-1 and in the process knocking out Triangle out of the race
which is now getting intense. The gamecocks` head coach was pleased
with his team`s performance as he said, “It’s a brilliant result
and l thought we deserved to win as we dominated possession almost
the entire afternoon. We scored from some of the chances we created.
We are one of the clubs fighting for the title and it’s still a
long way to go, but we need to be very calm,” he said in an
interview.
Marikana Style
FC Platinum who are trailing the
leaders by 5 points was also in action as it looked set to be
Marikana battle out in Luveve with the two mining sides going at it.
Coach of the month for August Norman Mapeza ensured that his team
continued with its Pure Platinum Play which stretched his unbeaten
run to 14 games by blowing away How Mine 3-0 through goals as early
as the 10th minute through Brian Muzondiwa. Obrey Chirwa
was to add a second 4 minutes later and the performance was later
capped off by an own goal by Tapiwa Kumbuyani in the 65th minute.
Fc Platinum`s gaffer Norman Mapeza was
delighted with the performance as he went on to praise his charges
for showing playing well. “We came here looking for a positive
result and I am very happy for the boys. The second half was a bit
difficult, but we managed to hold them,” he said in an interview,..
“There is a time when you go through a bad spell, but you do not
have to despair. It happens. You have to push on. I heard the rumours
in the Press, but I had no problem with management and supporters.”
added Mapeza going on to say that only God knew their destiny in the
league.
His counterpart Masomere who always has
something to say blamed the loss on the aged How Mine squad which was
facing an exuberant FC Platinum side. “A bit of age is also
affecting negatively in the team. Age is catching up with my players.
As a club, we erred when we got players who are almost reaching their
peak. Apart from that, we have to soldier on and make sure we win our
next game,” he said in an interview. FC Platinum has to be
commended for maintaining a sustainable youth policy which has seen
them being able to whip out players especially in light of the fact
that Mapeza lost possibly 5 of his best players during the transfer
window.
The two coaches , that is Mapeza and
Joey Antipas also have to be commended for showing a footballing
maturity like no other. The two are now surely breaking away from the
pack aand this is all as a result of the experiences which they are
applying separating the boys from the men. Triangle, How Mine all at
some point had a genuine shot at the title but How Mine are now lying
8th on the log whilst Kaindu just needs to find that
winning formula to get him over the line.
Drunken Masters
Dynamos got their revenge at Rufaro
stadium in 45 minutes as by half time, they had scored 5 goals past
Whahwa which looks set tor return to the Division 1. Fresh from a
humbling by FC Platinum, Dynamos seized the chance to get their
revenge and once again remind us all that they have won it on the
last day for the past 4 years. By the 26th minute, they
had already got 4 goals past Whawha. Ocean Mushure opened the scoring
for Dynamos before regulars Ronald Chitiyo and Takesure Chinyama
sealed the match early. Nelson Maziwisa pulled one back only for Gift
Kwaramba to score again before
Godknows Murwira capped off the win
with a free-kick.
In the second half it was a dull affair
as there lacked any intent from both sides with Dynamos having done
their business early. Dynamos coach Tonderayi Ndiraya blamed it on
the boys` complacency but still went on to praise his charges for
coming back strongly and once again showing the qualities of a
Championship winning team. His counterpart Lloyd Mutasa still
believes that his team will survive the relegation dogfight despite
lying a point of the foot of the log with 7 games left to play.
ZPC Kariba are also creeping out of the
relegation zone as they snapped from that loss from the gamecocks
beating Harare City 2-0 at Nyamhunga stadium whilst Tsholotsho dug
their grave deeper losing 2-1 to Chapungu. It looks set to be the 4
new guys going back to Division 1 but there is still a lot of
football to be played before we conclude this year`s edition of the
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
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