The Sunday News
Langton Nyakwenda Sports Correspondent
Bantu Rovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Shabanie Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(3) 4
Black Rhinos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
VISITING Shabanie Mine FC put up an enthralling performance to add on to Bantu’s relegation woes in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter played at Hartsfield Rugby Ground yesterday afternoon.
The loss saw Bantu Rovers coach Methembe Ndlovu admit that his side was headed for the unfashionable Division One League, while Shabanie upped their chances of survival, although they still remain rooted on position 12 on the log, just above the cut-off point.
Two goals from Xolisani Ncube either side of the break and additional goals from Michael Mageja and Wellington Kamudyariwa secured the points for Shabanie while Bantu’s face saver was a last minute strike by Teenage Hadebe.
Ncube, who displayed a man-of-the-match performance, was in the thick of things as early as the fifth minute when he exchanged passes with Mageja who set up Kamudyariwa for the visitors’ first goal.
Bantu could have quickly found an equaliser in the ninth minute when Obadiah Tarumbwa flighted the ball into the box and found Herbert Dick at the far end but his header went wide.
Shabanie doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when defender Zvenyika Makonese played a long ball from the back and found Ncube who got the better of Dick and then laid it through to Mageja who slotted in, in the near post.
Four minutes later Ncube received the ball from a counter-attack and a quick run saw him outpace Bantu defenders, before he beat Takunda Mutanga, who was in between the posts for Tshintsha Guluva.
The second half started on an even keel.
Shabanie Mine substitute Allen Tavarwisa made a run on the right flank, made a square pass that found an unmarked Ncube inside the Bantu penalty area in the 78th minute, who coolly slotted in the ball, cementing the visitors’ lead.
Bantu got their face-saver through Hadebe in the last minute of added time. After a match in which his lads were guilty of making a lot mistakes, Ndlovu admitted Bantu had no chance of surviving relegation.
“We are still going to play competitively in the coming games but being relegated is not the end of the world and as a team we are around for a long time to come,” he said.
Shabanie Mine coach, Jairos Tapera was satisfied with the win.
“I feel it was a good win and the team showed consistency and I believe the win gives us a direction in terms of where we are going as far as relegation is concerned. We have eased our relegation worries but we are not yet safe,” he said.
Meanwhile, Relegation threatened army side Black Rhinos blew a golden chance to move out of the drop zone when they conceded a late goal at here yesterday.
Substitute striker Lincoln Saramaya’s 62nd minute strike looked like it would carry the day for the hosts but former Warriors forward Rodwell Chinyengetere broke many local hearts with his equaliser 11 minutes from fulltime. Black Rhinos remain in the relegation zone with 28 points although they moved a place up to 13th swapping places with Triangle who host Caps United at Gibbo this afternoon.
The draw also cost Hwange a chance to break into the top four as they were overtaken by FC Platinum who dismissed title chasers ZPC Kariba at Mandava.
Chipangano remain fifth with 39 points, two behind Pure Platinum Play. The visitors had a loud shout for a penalty in the 14th minute when ageless striker Gilbert Zulu appeared to have been tripped by an out drawn Rhinos keeper Hebert Rusawo but referee Ruzive Ruzive, who had a good game, booked the veteran for diving. Chipangano coach Nation Dube had strong reservations over the decision.
Dube was disappointed with the draw as he felt the coal miners had done enough to collect maximum points.
His opposite number Jostein Mathuthu was happy with the point and remains confident that the soldiers would avoid the chop.
