The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
Bulawayo City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Mutare City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0) 0
BULAWAYO City bagged essential three points when they overcame Mutare City with a solitary strike from Innocent Kutsanzira in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Kutsanzira’s 69th minute strike, in a goal mouth melee, was enough to earn the Amini Soma-Phiri coached side maximum points after going for five games without a win.
The match was a balanced affair with Mutare City creating their own chances but failed to convert.
The visitors nearly took the lead in the 52nd minute when David Mangesi latched onto a rebound and his shot hit the cross bar with Amakhosi’s goalkeeper, Takudzwa Ndoro already a beaten man. Soma-Phiri was happy with the win, saying the important thing was bagging maximum points.
“All we wanted was a win and I am glad we got that. I now have two weeks for me to try and rectify some of the issues in the team.
“I am looking at beefing up my squad with five players during the mid-season window but the team is coming up well and I think the biggest area of concern is the strike force as we miss a lot of chances,” he said.
Soma-Phiri had only won his first game in charge when he took over from Darlington Dodo and struggled to find the winning formula in the five games. Mutare City coach, Ndega Matsika said they tried so hard to win the match and they were unfortunate to go down.
He said he believes rectifying a few areas will see his side start picking up points and move from the bottom of the log.
Matsika felt Mangesi should have given them the lead with his missed chance as it was a good scoring opportunity.
Teams
Bulawayo City: T Ndoro, Z Ngodzo, Z Sibanda, H Ncube, E Mudzingwa, R Pavari, I Kutsanzira, T January, C Ncube (A Ncube, 58th), M Sibanda (T Tavengwa, 85th), I Wadi (N Ndlovu, 72nd)
Mutare City: T Dube, P Gumbo, G Jimu (M Moyo, 75th), M Watch, L Mangayira, L Takunda, H Muzhara (E Chikwaikwai, 30th), K Njovo, B Chimbalanga (H Zvakavapano, 48th), B Chinhoyi, D Mangesi
