The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
Bulawayo Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Black Rhinos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
BULAWAYO Chiefs were lucky to salvage a point against Black Rhinos in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie where they struggled to string passes or hold the ball, playing second fiddle to the visitors at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
Allen Gahadzikwa scored for Rhinos while Moses Majika equalised for the home side.
Rhinos produced a dominant performance as they took charge of the game from the first whistle and were duly rewarded in the 25th minute when Gahadzikwa scored a header off a Wonder Kapinda cross.
The visitors bossed Chiefs around but could not find the target with their players missing several chances.
Amakhosi Amahle, as Chiefs are known, who struggled in midfield and attack, managed to level the scores 10 minutes from full-time when Majika tapped in the ball after being set up by Stanley Ngala who made a fruitless lone effort upfront.
Chiefs coach, Garthly Chipuka conceded it was a tough match and Rhinos were better than his side.
He said the absence of Takunda Mazuva and Perfect Chikwende, who were on suspension for accumulating three yellow cards, could have affected their rhythm in midfield.
“I think when some players are absent you are not likely to play your usual game because the synergies are different and it would be hard to come up with a flowing game and the usual telepathy could be missing.
“I give credit to my boys because they managed to come out with a point against a team that played well. I think a point is good considering that Rhinos were better than us,” said Chipuka.
His counterpart at Rhinos, Herbert Maruwa said his side’s failure to put the game beyond Chiefs’ reach with the numerous chances they created saw them being punished.
He said his players were not hungry enough to kill off the game as a contest.
“We played well and controlled better parts of the match and we had numerous chances but we allowed them to claw back into the game and they equalised.
“A point away is good though and we will be working on rectifying these problems for our next game,” he said.
Teams
Bulawayo Chiefs: D Bizabani, S Nyahwa, S Mhlanga (Machisi 58mins), M Mkolo, A Tandi, M Majika, G Mleya, A Musiyiwa (Sibanda, 46 mins), E Chidavaenzi ( Ndlela 75 mins), S Dube
Black Rhinos: A Rayners, M Mambare (Mhandu 81 mins), M Mekiwa, B Homora, S Jimu, F Banda (Chimutimunzeve 67 mins), W Kapinda, T Jaravani, W Taderera, A Gahadzikwa, L Chiwunga
