Sports / Soccer
Bulawayo City fall to Green Machine
27 Jun 2016 at 06:46hrs | Views
Caps United 2 -1 Bulawayo City
CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe saw the good, and the sloppy, of his Green Machine as they beat a battling Bulawayo City in a Castle Lager Premiership tie marred by some controversial decisions at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
A storming first half show, in which the Harare giants giants scored through Simba Nhivi, who took his tally to three goals, and the ageless Leonard Tsipa appeared to have set the stage for a stroll in the park for Makepekepe.
But, somehow, the team that played in the first half, and impressed so much, was not the one that turned out in the second half and the visitors returned to the City of Kings feeling hard done after a goal was ruled out which could have given them a share of the spoils. Bulawayo City finally got their consolation when Innocent Kutsanzira's header, from just inside the box, beat goalkeeper Joram Muchambo in the 79th minute.
Chitembwe was relieved with the win but felt his charges could have put on a better all-round show. "The first half was a complete team performance; the conversion of chances was very good; I think we did that part excellently. The second half was not exactly as we wanted," said Chitembwe.
"But it's expected in football that if you are to dominate the first half chances are you might be dominated in the second. "We are happy we managed to collect maximum points. I am happy with the progress especially today we thought it could have been much better if we had managed to come out with a clean sheet.
"We could have gone three games without conceding and unfortunately the third game we conceded. All the same I am happy with the maximum points," said Chitembwe.
With the win, the Green Machine, who are in second place on the log standings, managed to keep pressure on log leaders Highlanders. Makepekepe are in second place with 24 points, two behind the table toppers.
Nhivi, who was on target in last week's win at Mutare City Rovers, scored his third goal of the season after Tsipa made a spirited run down the right flank and lofted a good cross which the visitors defenders failed to deal with decisively.
Their short clearance was met by Abbas Amidu, who is set to leave for Germany this week, whose shot was cleared from the line by the goalkeeper Ndodana Sibanda.
Ronald Pfumbidzai's low shot back into the box kept them under pressure and, in the commotion, Nhivi found pockets of space inside the box and made no mistake with a fine strike after just five minutes.
Amidu, who has been enjoying good form of late, made another good attempt when he turned his marker inside the box but the 'keeper was well positioned to palm away a scorching left footer.
Nhivi could have doubled his tally in the 34th minute but he scooped over the bar a good cross from Pfumbidzai. The forward then atoned for his error when he managed to keep a corner kick from Pfumbidzai in play and, with the visitors' defenders non-committal, Tsipa pounced with a close range header.
Bulawayo City were a better team in the second half.
They thought their industry had been rewarded in the 65th minute but the referee ruled that midfielder Xolani Moyo's swerving shot from outside the box could not stand as the nearside assistant referee Kambadzo had his flag up for offside.
The decision was met with protests from the Bulawayo City players and officials. Blawayo City coach Philani Ncube also challenged Makapekepe's second goal implying that the ball had gone out of play when Nhivi headed it back into play for Tsipa.
"We lost not to a better team. We played very well. We conceded the second goal but from my point of view I thought it should have been a goal kick but the only person with the final decision is the referee," said Ncube.
"From a distance you could see the ball was out but then the final decision (rests with the referee). Still when it was 2-0 we scored a goal, what I thought was a genuine goal in my own assessment, but then the first assistant referee said it wasn't a goal.
"But we are not under pressure, one thing for sure. We are going back to the drawing board and next Sunday by this time we will be on 17 points and, so, which team are we meeting?"
Bulawayo City will host Dynamos next.
Teams:
CAPS United – J. Muchambo, H. Zvirekwi, R. Pfumbidzai, C. Munzabwa, S. Makatuka, K. Nyamupfukudza (C. Kamhapa, 39th min), J. Ngodzo, A. Amidu (D. Chungwa, 60th min), P. Bamusi, S. Nhivi, L. Tsipa (T. Rusike, 60th min)
Bulawayo City – N. Sibanda, M. Kadzola (T. Chimenya, 46th min), T. Majo, N. Mukumbi, Z. Sibanda, I. Kutsanzira, X. Moyo, L. Ncube, M. Maphosa (E. Mandiranga, 39th min), M. Ncube (W. Dube, 60th min), M. Ncube
CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe saw the good, and the sloppy, of his Green Machine as they beat a battling Bulawayo City in a Castle Lager Premiership tie marred by some controversial decisions at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
A storming first half show, in which the Harare giants giants scored through Simba Nhivi, who took his tally to three goals, and the ageless Leonard Tsipa appeared to have set the stage for a stroll in the park for Makepekepe.
But, somehow, the team that played in the first half, and impressed so much, was not the one that turned out in the second half and the visitors returned to the City of Kings feeling hard done after a goal was ruled out which could have given them a share of the spoils. Bulawayo City finally got their consolation when Innocent Kutsanzira's header, from just inside the box, beat goalkeeper Joram Muchambo in the 79th minute.
Chitembwe was relieved with the win but felt his charges could have put on a better all-round show. "The first half was a complete team performance; the conversion of chances was very good; I think we did that part excellently. The second half was not exactly as we wanted," said Chitembwe.
"But it's expected in football that if you are to dominate the first half chances are you might be dominated in the second. "We are happy we managed to collect maximum points. I am happy with the progress especially today we thought it could have been much better if we had managed to come out with a clean sheet.
"We could have gone three games without conceding and unfortunately the third game we conceded. All the same I am happy with the maximum points," said Chitembwe.
With the win, the Green Machine, who are in second place on the log standings, managed to keep pressure on log leaders Highlanders. Makepekepe are in second place with 24 points, two behind the table toppers.
Nhivi, who was on target in last week's win at Mutare City Rovers, scored his third goal of the season after Tsipa made a spirited run down the right flank and lofted a good cross which the visitors defenders failed to deal with decisively.
Their short clearance was met by Abbas Amidu, who is set to leave for Germany this week, whose shot was cleared from the line by the goalkeeper Ndodana Sibanda.
Ronald Pfumbidzai's low shot back into the box kept them under pressure and, in the commotion, Nhivi found pockets of space inside the box and made no mistake with a fine strike after just five minutes.
Amidu, who has been enjoying good form of late, made another good attempt when he turned his marker inside the box but the 'keeper was well positioned to palm away a scorching left footer.
Nhivi could have doubled his tally in the 34th minute but he scooped over the bar a good cross from Pfumbidzai. The forward then atoned for his error when he managed to keep a corner kick from Pfumbidzai in play and, with the visitors' defenders non-committal, Tsipa pounced with a close range header.
Bulawayo City were a better team in the second half.
They thought their industry had been rewarded in the 65th minute but the referee ruled that midfielder Xolani Moyo's swerving shot from outside the box could not stand as the nearside assistant referee Kambadzo had his flag up for offside.
The decision was met with protests from the Bulawayo City players and officials. Blawayo City coach Philani Ncube also challenged Makapekepe's second goal implying that the ball had gone out of play when Nhivi headed it back into play for Tsipa.
"We lost not to a better team. We played very well. We conceded the second goal but from my point of view I thought it should have been a goal kick but the only person with the final decision is the referee," said Ncube.
"From a distance you could see the ball was out but then the final decision (rests with the referee). Still when it was 2-0 we scored a goal, what I thought was a genuine goal in my own assessment, but then the first assistant referee said it wasn't a goal.
"But we are not under pressure, one thing for sure. We are going back to the drawing board and next Sunday by this time we will be on 17 points and, so, which team are we meeting?"
Bulawayo City will host Dynamos next.
Teams:
CAPS United – J. Muchambo, H. Zvirekwi, R. Pfumbidzai, C. Munzabwa, S. Makatuka, K. Nyamupfukudza (C. Kamhapa, 39th min), J. Ngodzo, A. Amidu (D. Chungwa, 60th min), P. Bamusi, S. Nhivi, L. Tsipa (T. Rusike, 60th min)
Bulawayo City – N. Sibanda, M. Kadzola (T. Chimenya, 46th min), T. Majo, N. Mukumbi, Z. Sibanda, I. Kutsanzira, X. Moyo, L. Ncube, M. Maphosa (E. Mandiranga, 39th min), M. Ncube (W. Dube, 60th min), M. Ncube
Source - chronicle
