Bantu win, Rhinos in draw

Sport
OBADIAH Tarumbwa scored a brace as Bantu Rovers subdued Buffaloes to end a winless streak in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

OBADIAH Tarumbwa scored a brace as Bantu Rovers subdued Buffaloes to end a winless streak in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

Sports reporters

Bantu Rovers . . . . (2) 3 Buffaloes . . . . . . . . (1) 1

Black Rhinos . . . . . . 0 Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . 0

The win sent Bantu Rovers two places up to 12th position with 13 points. Tarumbwa, who also assisted in the third goal scored by Bukhosi Sibanda put the home side ahead in the 22nd minute and added another eight minutes later.

Sibanda who came on as a substitute in the 29th minute for Moses Majika, killed the game as a contest seven minutes from full time.

Bantu Rovers had to make two injury-inspired substitutions for Lawson Nkomo in the 51st minute with Bongani Sikwili taking his place while Nqobizitha Masuku was stretchered off the field. Zephania Ngodzo took his place. Buffaloes who were without head coach Luke Masomere who did not travel with the team due to illness, got their facesaver from Jacob Muzokomba in the 33rd minute.

Bantu Rovers assistant coach Mandla Mpofu said: “We played well in the first half and we created chances and we were happy going to the break with a 2-1 lead although we were not happy that we conceded. Unfortunately we had to make two injury-inspired substitutions, but we organised ourselves well and we got the goal that sealed the game. As I said during the week, we are not relegation candidates. We are going to fight in the last 18 games and survive.”

Buffaloes assistant coach Timothy Masachi said they had defended poorly.

“We gave away poor goals due to defensive blunders. Our defence was not tight and we did not create chances to score. We were also poor in our attacking. We need to pull up and rectify our mistakes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Black Rhinos failed to utilise home advantage as they allowed visiting Triangle FC to restrict them to a goalless draw in a match at Rimuka Stadium yesterday.

Both teams came into the match looking for maximum points following subdued performances, in the league this far.

Triangle were the better side and their head coach Biggie Zuze felt they deserved to win the match. Army side coach Arthur Tutani was a disappointed man after failing to get maximum points at home.