Caps United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) 2 How Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2 (How Mine won 4-2 in penalty shoot-out) TRUE to their word, How Mine will be playing in the Caf Confederation Cup next season.
TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
And yesterday, by just reaching the Mbada Diamonds Cup final after booting out Caps United 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out at the National Sports Stadium (NSS) in Harare, their dreams came true.
They will now play Highlanders in an all-Bulawayo final at Barbourfields Stadium on November 30. Highlanders, who beat Harare City 4-2 on penalties at Mandava on Saturday, are banned from Caf inter-club competitions for three years, leaving the finalists How Mine as Zimbabwe’s representatives.
It was Brighton Dube who scored the winning penalty for How Mine with Mernard Mupera, Xolisani Moyo, goalkeeper Ephraim Mazarura all converting their spot-kicks. But Khumbulani Banda missed.
Tendai Samanja and Ronald Pfumbidzai scored for Makepekepe while Hardlife Zvirekwi missed. Moses Muchenje took the worst spot-kick of them all — easily passing the ball to Mazarura. Zvirekwi, who was voted man-of-the-match, was disappointed to lose to How Mine.
“We did our best. We fought very hard after we had fallen behind, but we eventually lost. It’s disappointing I missed that penalty, but even great players in the world miss penalties. I accept responsibility,” Zvirekwi said in a post-match interview.
How Mine coach Philani Ncube said: “To be honest, Caps United were the better side, but technically we were the better team. We now have $90 000 in the bank and are now looking to get $40 000 extra.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Yesterday’s semi-final at the NSS was livened by Caps racing into the lead on 41 minutes with Rahman Kutsanzira inking his name on the scoresheet when he got to the end of a free-kick by Zvirekwi before side-footing the ball home.
The home team dominated for much of the first half with Leonard Fiyado and Tawanda Nyamandwe coming close on several occasions and it was not a surprise when they went into the lead through Kutsanzira.
However, Warren Dube equalised for How Mine on 51 minutes beating goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube with a low shot. As the gold miners dominated, making forays into the Caps United goal in the second half, they were rewarded on 55 minutes with Mupera letting fly a 40m drive that beat Dube.
It was not an ordinary goal, but the kind of stuff witnessed at the highest level of the game. Mupera — rejected by the Green Machine at the beginning of the season after he had been invited for trials — was happy to score a great goal which also helped his team to a victory over Caps United.
“It’s the greatest feeling ever,” Mupera said. “It’s not a coincidence to score this goal. It’s the type I usually score. I spent the whole week practicing shooting. I am so happy it has paid off. We were just saying to ourselves we couldn’t be beaten three times by the same team and we are excited to reach the final of the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
It will be a cracker against Highlanders. We have always been underdogs and we will remain underdogs as we go into the final.”
But as How Mine appeared to be growing in confidence, their lead proved temporary as Caps United equalised on 60 minutes with a Tawanda Nyamandwe headed goal after Banda lost possession in the penalty area.
The match eventually spilled into the penalty shoot-out as the two teams could not be separated in regulation time and this time, there were no heroics from regular penalty stopper Tafadzwa Dube. Teams Caps United: T Dube, G Magariro, R Pfumbidzai, T Samanja, A Chivheya, (T Khumbuyani 69min), R Kutsanzira, M Muchenje, G Phiri (T Munyanduri 69min), T Nyamandwe, H Zvirekwi, L Fiyado How Mine: E Mazarura, B Dube, K Banda, H Dick, G Banda, M Mupera, T January, N Mukumbi, S Dube, (Q Sibanda 30min), W Dube, T Masuku (N Mpala 72min)
