The Sunday News
Bantu Rovers ………………………………. (2) 3
Buffaloes …………………………….………. (1) 1
FORMER Highlanders marksman, Obadiah Tarumbwa put up a man-of-the-match performance as he scored twice for Bantu Rovers and provided the assist for the third goal to see the Premiership returnees wallop Buffaloes in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Luveve Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Going into the match Bantu had lost seven of their last 11 games and a continued slide would have condemned them to being sure relegations candidates.
A brace by Tarumbwa in the first half and a third goal by young Bukhosi Sibanda in the second stanza was all Bantu needed to walk over Buffaloes who replied through Jacob Muzokomba.
The two sides started on equal footing with both threatening to break the deadlock but it was Tarumbwa who drew first blood with a header off a free kick taken by Highlanders reject Lawson Nkomo in the 24th minute. Six minutes later the striker made it two-up after Tafadzwa Kutinyu found him unmarked in the box and he flicked the ball past Blessing Mwandimtsira, who was in between the posts for the army side.
Nkomo could have scored in the 32nd minute after receiving the ball inside the penalty area from Tarumbwa but his shot went wide.
Buffaloes received a free kick approximately 25 yards from the goal posts, a minute later, and Muzokomba stepped up and produced a beautiful curler that went past the Bantu wall, before taking a wicked bounce to beat the home side’s goalkeeper, Takunda Mutanga. Kutinyu miscued a header in the 36th minute from a Thandazani Ndlovu cross.
After missing several chances, the 17-year-old Sibanda finally found the back of the net in the 84th minute. Tarumbwa dribbled past several Buffaloes defenders on the left flank before crossing the ball to an unmarked Sibanda who put the ball into an empty net.
Sibanda, who came in for Moses Majika, could have made it four deep into injury time when he got the ball from Tarumbwa but his shot went over the bar.
Tshintsha Guluva’s assistant coach, Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu was elated by the win saying his team had played well.
“We created many chances and could have won by a higher margin but I am happy that we won. We however conceded an easy goal that should not have went in. We had to make forced substitutions in the second half but I am glad the players held on to the lead and managed to score another one,” he said.
Nkomo and Nqobizitha Masuku left the field on stretchers and were replaced by Bonga Sikwili and Zephaniah Ngodzo respectively. Mpofu said relegation was out of the question for them and they will ensure they collect more points in the remaining 18 games.
Buffaloes’ assistant coach, Timothy Masachi blamed his side’s 5th defeat on the trot on their poor defense, which he said was porous.
“We have been defending woefully and that is why we are losing like this. I think we have to start working on our defense as it is worrying.
Although we played well we failed to make an impact in the final third as we could not find the target or were disposed before shooting at goal,” he said.
The visiting side’s coach Luke Masomere was unavailable due to an undisclosed illness.
Meanwhile Black Rhinos and Triangle United battled a goalless draw at Rimuka Stadium.
Teams
Bantu Rovers: T Mutanga, P Zireni, E Tshuma, M Mlangeni, L Nkomo (B Sikwili, 53rd), T Hadebe, N Masuku (Z Ngodzo, 68th), T Ndlovu, M Majika (B Sibanda, 29th), T Kutinyu, O Tarumbwa.
Buffaloes: B Mwandimutsira, S Nkata, M Gutu, P Chandisaita, P Matizanadzo, T Mombeshora, F Bushiri (T Mukahlera, 62nd), M Nyamukasa, J Muzokomba, L Katongomara, A Dzumbunu (R Mwenga, 62nd)
