The Sunday News
Tatenda Makanda Sports Correspondent
Flame Lily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(0) 2
Tsholotsho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
STRIKER Moses Demera was Flame Lily’s knight in shining armour after his second-half brace cancelled Tsholotsho’s two-goal lead to salvage a point for the home side at Lafarge in Harare yesterday.
Tsholotsho drew first blood on 42 minutes when midfielder Simbarashe Gorogodyo received a through ball from the middle of the park and hammered home a grounder.
Gorogodyo turned provider on 51 minutes when he set up lanky striker Lynnoth Chikuhwa on the edge of the box.
Chikuhwa effortlessly chipped over Prosper Chigumba in goal for Flame Lily to double the advantage for the visitors.
Flame Lily pulled one back 12 minutes later when Tsholotsho goalkeeper, Chang Mariyoni felled Flame Lily’s Motion Muponda in the box and referee Nomore Musundire pointed to the spot.
Demera stepped up to the plate and coolly converted.
After the goal the game swung violently towards the home team.
However, Demera’s sudden bursts of speed haunted Tsholotsho again as he slipped through their defence to beat Mariyoni on 72 minutes.
Tsholotsho coach Lizwe Sweswe slammed his goalkeeper for conceding a soft penalty.
“We conceded a soft penalty, my goalkeeper should not have tackled that player because he was going nowhere and had already lost the ball. He should have just stayed put in his goals and monitor that striker. We just gave away three points. We were leading by two goals and we just let that lead slip away. We were not mature enough and we allowed them to find their way back into the game,” he said.
His opposite number Backlyfield Chivenga was happy to have stolen a point.
“I am glad that we managed to come back into the game. I am trying to introduce a new style of play here which is the passing game. I am not sure whether they used to play a passing game before me but as far as I am concerned I am introducing something new and it takes time,” he said.
Meanwhile, highflying Triangle worsened Sunday Chidzambwa’s woes at ZPC Kariba with a classy performance that left the clueless hosts winless at Nyamhunga and the visitors on top of the log standings.
A goal each by on fire Hillary Bakacheza and gritty midfielder Hardlife Mavundi saw Kelvin Kaindu’s Sugar Boys go two points clear of Chicken Inn who play Dongo Sawmills in Rusape this afternoon.
ZPC Kariba’s makeshift left back Tsepo Rantokoane scored the hosts’ consolation in injury time with a cracking long range free kick.
nWhawha were lucky to escape with a point in the Midlands derby against Chapungu at Ascot Stadium yesterday where forgotten striker Patrick Kumbula was the toast of the match.
Kumbula who left Dynamos for Chapungu struck in the 6th minute with William Ngonya scoring an own goal nine minutes later for the 1-1 draw.
Results
Flame Lily 2; Tsholotsho 2, Triangle 2; ZPC Kariba 1, Whawha 1; Chapungu 1
