Triangle, Ngezi in thrilling draw

[ad_1] BY TERRY MADYAUTA TRIANGLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0(2) NGEZI PLATINUM . . . . . . . . . . . . 1(2) STRIKER Delic Murimba scored twice to help Triangle salvage a point in a four-goal […]

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BY TERRY MADYAUTA

TRIANGLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0(2)

NGEZI PLATINUM . . . . . . . . . . . . 1(2)

STRIKER Delic Murimba scored twice to help Triangle salvage a point in a four-goal thriller against Ngezi Platinum in a Chibuku Super Cup Group 4 tie played at Mandava Stadium yesterday.

Murimba scored two goals in three minutes to get his side back in contention.

Ngezi Platinum opened the score sheet through the mercurial Denver Mukamba 10 minutes into the game after he was picked out by Bruno Mtigo, before rounding off goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya to slot the ball into an empty net.

From there, Ngezi dominated until the half-time break, but they crumbled like a deck of cards in the second stanza and almost succumbed to Triangle’s relentless prodding.

At one moment, Ngezi coach Rodwell Dhlakama was heard shouting: “I have never seen anything like this”, indicating that he had been stunned by the way his star-studded frontline was continually firing blanks against a shaky Triangle defence.

Triangle discovered their foot in the game and restored parity in the 65th minute through Murimba, who beat Mawaya with a powerful low shot.

Bruno Mtigo restored Ngezi’s lead one minute later, after outpacing Tyler Mugoniwa on the right flank before curling the ball home, which eluded the diving Mawaya.

Their lead was shortlived as Triangle instantly reacted through Murimba, who chested a pass from Ralph Marema inside the box before lofting the ball over goalie Nelson Chadya.

The Shuga Boys kept pushing for a winner, with Murimba and Madamombe taking turns to miss the target from good positions. However, Triangle coach Taurai Mangwiro was unhappy with the result.

”I am disappointed because we wanted to win for our player Ronald Mudimu, who is critically ill and admitted in hospital right now,” Mangwiro said.

”We were in a sombre mood, but we tried our best to win, maybe it wasn’t meant to be. At this point, our destiny is not in our hands.

”The outcome of other matches in the group will have a bearing on where we will end.

”Had we won, maybe we could have been talking of a different issue, but I want to appreciate everyone’s effort and how they managed to show character to avoid defeat.”

His counterpart Dhlakama bragged that his side was already through to the next stage.

With the draw, the Mhondoro-based side now sits on 10 points and is through to the next stage.  It remains the only team without a defeat in the group.

”We are through to the next stage. We played well, but I noticed that fatigue was affecting our players and as a result, we conceded goals and also failed to score from areas we usually do well,” Dhlakama said.

”We are just hoping to keep this momentum and not get beaten along the way. There is room for improvement.”

Teams

Triangle: T Mawaya, T Mugoniwa, M Ngwenya, L Mangayira, A Chiveya, D Mudadi, S Gahadzikwa, E Mawuna (D Murimba 46), C Dhuwa, R Madamombe, G Bero (K Gwao 88)

Ngezi platinum: N Chadya, K Chigwida,  D Mukamba, P Moyo, B Mtigo (N Makumbe 90), A Amini, W Taderera,  M Makuwe (N Chintuli 50), M Mukumba (D Bonnah 83), K Murera, M Mushonga (A Chivandire 51).

  • Follow Terry on Twitter @madyautatpm

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