FC PLATINUM recorded their sweetest victory of the season with a 2-1 win against Shabanie Mine in a match played in true derby fashion at Mandava Stadium yesterday.
MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE IN ZVISHAVANE
FC Platinum ……..(0) (2) Shabanie …………..(1) (1)
Second-half goals from Qadr Amini and Zambian import Aaron Katebe outweighed Xolani Ncube’s first half goal.
The result was too delicious to digest for the host as they finished the first half of the domestic league with a three-point tally better than their neighbors.
The match was played before a close to capacity crowd with South African PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane part of the big crowd.
Losing coach John Phiri felt his charges were sold a raw deal by referee Munyaradzi Majoni given the blameworthy manner in which the man on the centre handled the match especially in the first half.
“The referee (Majoni) gave the match to FC Platinum, we played well, but we were frustrated by the referee,” Phiri said.
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The winning coach Ralph Kawondera was happy for shepherding his charges to a victory against fiercest rivals.
“The guys played according to instructions in the second half.
I told them to keep the ball on the ground and they did just that,” Kawondera said.
Both sides started the match looking lively, nine minutes into the game Steven Sibanda pushed his effort wide from a well executed Obrey Chirwa cross.
Ten minutes before the breather Ncube tapped in Allen Tavarwisa’s cross for the opening goal. Four minutes latter referee Munyaradzi Majoni surprisingly disallowed Marvelous Dikinya’s goal which was seemingly legitimate to deny the visitors a deserved two-goal lead.
Eleven minutes after the breather Zvenyika Makonese necessarily hurried his clearing header, but the ball fell into the path of Amini who responded with a ferocious shot that gave Victor Twaliki in goal for the visitors no chance.
With 15 minutes before fulltime Katebe showed that platinum is a more precious mineral than asbestos after all when he headed in Raymond Sibanda’s corner to give the host the lead.
Meanwhile, Hwange came from a goal down to hold Harare City to a one all draw in a match played in Harare yesterday
