Hwange stunned by Mutare Rovers

Hwange 0-1 Mutare City
HWANGE fans left the Colliery Stadium dejected and stunned yesterday after the coalminers put up a lifeless performance to fall to Castle Lager Premier League new boys Mutare City Rovers.

Following last week's morale-boosting win over Triangle United away at Gibbo Stadium, the soccer crazy Hwange community expected to bag three points against the league debutants, but the football gods had other ideas, as a 24th minute header by Chastern Ngondonga was enough to hand the visitors three precious points in a shock result that left some Hwange fans in tears after the final whistle.

It was certainly a dishonour to one of the club's legends David "Dididi" Khumalo, who passed away on Saturday. Away from the final result, the coalminers had started the match with their tails up and threatened to overrun Rovers, but Andrew Chuma and lanky striker Newman Sianchali missed two gilt edged chances.

The hosts were duly punished for being wasteful as Rovers surged ahead with their first attack on the Hwange goal, with Ngondonga being allowed a free header in the box to gracefully connect a curling Wonder Sithole cross into the roof of net.

Hwange tried to come back like a wounded buffalo in the second half, but Sianchali's rasping shot crashed against the crossbar in the 50th minute, with goal minder Phillip Nhete clearly beaten.

With Hwange pouring forward to pull the game out of the fire, City almost doubled their advantage with a swift counter attack in the 57th minute, which saw Stephen Sibanda coming face-to-face with Hwange goalkeeper Future Sibanda, who blocked the effort with his legs.

The introduction of veteran players Farai Vimisai and Pervington Zimunya for Pritchard Mpelele and Sianchali respectively midway through the second half could not prevent stand-in coach Mebelo Njekwa from enduring his most miserable day in the office as the visitors defended in numbers.

Hwange anchorman Obert Moyo had the last opportunity to save Hwange's misery five minutes from the end when he latched onto a delicate cross by enterprising Gift Mbweti, who fought a lone battle in the middle of the park, only to be denied from point blank range by an outdrawn Nhete, with the Hwange fans already celebrating.

To cap a horror afternoon for Njekwa, trusted central defender Gerald Ndlovu was rushed to hospital 10 minutes from time, with what looked like a nasty injury and was replaced by Collen Muleya. Njekwa was at a loss for words as he wondered what went wrong in an afternoon that had started full of promise.

"Honestly it's difficult to take this defeat. Our boys lacked mental strength after such a good result and took their opponents lightly and we got punished for that. This is a case of donating points to opponents," said a visibly dejected Njekwa. Rovers' assistant coach Kenneth Kachara was on cloud nine and hoped this meant better times ahead.

"This is a big result for us and very strategic from our point of view. We hope this is a start of good tidings for the team as we want to pick up from here," said Kachara.

Teams
Hwange – F Sibanda; T Sibelo; C Banda; G Ndlovu(C Muleya 80th min); D Boriwondo; O Moyo; A Tshuma;P Mpelele (F Vimisai 75th min); G Mbweti; G Zulu; N Sianchali (P Zimunya)

Mutare City Rovers – P Nhete; B Mukwena; A Nyakabano; W Mapfumo; M Sako; C Ngondonga; S Muchabaya; S Musimbu; W Sithole (T Chabwana 61st min); H Makukutu(E Chimhaka 75th min); S Sibanda(D Duri 87th min)