How Mine sails through

St Michel 3 - 1 How Mine
(How Mine won 6-4 on aggregate)
AN appalling piece of defensive work in the first half nearly cost Zimbabwe's representatives in the Orange Caf Confederation Cup a chance to progress to the second round of the tournament at Stade Linite here yesterday.

With the strategy to fend off the hosts' attack and possibly grab a goal in the first 20 minutes, the visitors found themselves back-pedalling as St Michel bombarded them from all angles. Jocelyn Fenosoa, scorer of the solitary goal in the 1-5 annihilation in Bulawayo last Sunday, put St Michel in the driving seat in the sixth minute with a beautiful curling free-kick.

That was after Brighton Dube had been adjudged to have fouled hard-running Gervais Way-Hive a few metres from the box on the left flank.

Up stepped Fenosoa to push the ball wide off the wall to the right of a diving Ephraim Mazarura in goal for How Mine. On 16 minutes, Gilbert Banda was outpaced by Leeroy Mathiot as How Mine defenders allowed the pouring home team a chance to exchange passes in the box, leaving Fenosoa to score his second goal of the afternoon and his third against the gold miners. At that stage, it appeared more misery would be piled on How Mine who seemed intent on having more men in defence.

Every ball pumped forward found Kuda Musharu under the watchful eyes of three men and the rebounds from clearances were falling on St Michel players. It was a question of when another goal would come as How Mine defended frantically.

In the 43rd minute, St Michel went 3-0 up and it appeared all over for Philani Ncube's men. Alex Nibourrette found the target, having started the move deep in his own half.

Musharu was to take the stuffing out of the visitors in the 57th minute with his sixth goal of the tournament. A clearance  by Allen Larue hit the referee on the head and, in a bid to clear, Joel Barbe missed the ball, leaving Musharu to reduce the arrears.

Mazarura justified his top billing as one of the best goalkeepers in the land with a full-stretch dive to deny Mathiot in the 20th minute.

Two minutes later he was hero again, stopping Yannick Maroo's shot going full length to his left for a low shot. The match had its own share of drama. Before kick-off, How Mine were involved in heavy debate with the match commissioner on which dressing room to use.

St Michel prefer using the away dressing room when playing visiting teams. They made the announcement during Friday evening's pre-match meeting, something which did not go down well with How Mine.

Bester Kalombo, the match commissioner from Malawi, had to intervene with head of delegation Tawengwa Hara and the miners' chairman Mlondolozi Nkomo agreeing reluctantly to use the dressing room which is dubbed the slaughtering pen in Victoria where the stadium is situated. Rarely do home teams that use the dressing room lose.

Musharu denied himself  the chance of increasing his Caf tally to seven goals, looping his effort over the bar after being put through by Kadzola.

Teams
St Michel:
G Melanie, A Larue, A Nibourette, J Barbe, G Way-Hive, T Vidot (, J Radafison, L Mathiot (L Corallie 56th minute), J Fenosoa, Y Maroo (D Rosette 82nd minute), H Ali


How Mine: E Mazarura, M Kadzola (G Magariro 77th minute), B Dube, N Mukumbi, G Banda, M Mupera, X Moyo, K Musharu, T Masuku, E Muzanenhamo, B Sande (T January 24th minute (J Chitereki 79th minute)