IT WAS the perfect start that Shabanie Mine needed in their opening match of the 2014 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League game when they humbled Triangle United in convincing fashion at Maglas Stadium yesterday.
MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Shabanie Mine . . . . . . . (2) 3 Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Triangle’s Jimmy Tigere scored two goals, one for each team with Carlos Mesi and Louis Matawu adding one each for the home team. Shabanie Mine coach John Phiri was happy with the performance of his charges.
“It is a good result and I am happy that we have won our first match of the season. It is going to be a morale booster for us and the boys as we go forward,” he said.
Triangle United coach Biggy Zuze said his players approached the game with a negative attitude.
“They took the game very lightly. The two goals in the first half could have been avoided,” he said.
Shabanie Mine dominated the match from the onset and after 15 minutes Tigere headed Matawu’s cross into his net for the hosts’ first goal as he tried to clear.
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Four minutes later the visitors could have equalised when Charles Rukwanhi headed the ball into the path of Warriors midfielder Pascal Manhanga who blasted the ball over the bar with only Shabanie’s Victor Twaliki to beat.
Five minutes before the breather Ronald Mudimu, in goal for Triangle punched Nelson Melson’s ferocious shot into the path of Mesi who tapped it in for the home team’s second goal.
In the second half, Shabanie Mine continued dominating the exchanges and in the 53rd minute an impressive Zvikomborero Bizeki released Daniel Chikupe on the left, but this cross could not be converted by an unmarked Mesi.
At the stroke of the hour Mesi headed the ball Matawu’s way with the former FC Platinum player responding with a thunderous volley giving the home team their third goal.
Tigere atoned for his earlier mistake, but rather late, when he scored a consolation for the visitors with five minutes remaining on the clock after some lapse in concentration from the Shabanie Mine defence.
