Triangle thump Byo City
Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 3 Bulawayo City . . . . . . . . . (0) 1 TRIANGLE assistant coach Innocent Chogugudza reckoned that the Sugar Sugar Boys’ empathic Castle Lager Premiership win over Bulawayo City at Gibbo yesterday was crucial in helping them improve their position on the log table.
The Lowveld outfit have been on a resurgence in the second half of the season and that underlined their revival mission with a convincing win over the visitors.
That victory left their assistant coach and former Chapungu goalkeeper Chogugudza a happy man.
“It’s a very good win for us, we badly needed the points, we want to improve our log position and move away from the position that we have been for a long time.
“We scored three beautiful goals and they all came in timely and it was good and they helped us collect a set of points,” said goalkeepers coach Chogugudza.
Triangle showed their intentions as early as the opening minute with mid-season signing Emmaculate “Ghebo” Mawuna giving City defenders a torrid time on the left flank.
The pint-sized midfielder was the architect in the build up to the first goal exchanging passes with Nhamo Lameck before providing a perfect cross to Russell Madamombe who controlled with his right foot before unleashing a shot with his left that found its mark after seven minutes.
City midfielder Ishmael Wadi who was by far the outstanding player for the visitors made a few good runs on either flank, but all his efforts went in vain as he was not well complemented in the final third.
Wadi was left in disbelief when he failed to connect well with a free-header in what looked like a definite equaliser in the 20th minute.
Bulawayo City were happy to hear the whistle as they went to the half-time break a goal down, but the home side took the opportunity and recharged their batteries well as they scored two quick-fire goals inside the three minutes, soon after the restart.
The second goal was a marvellous team goal, Madamombe, man-of-the-match Brian Juwayeyi, Courage Denias, Lameck and Ralph Kawondera exchanged several sweet passes before the captain Lameck had the final assist and Kawondera scored off the inside of the post in the 48th minute.
Two minutes later Lameck was on song again and capped his performance with his own goal, benefiting from an assist by Benson Maglas.
Lameck charged towards the City goal and Sibanda was too little too late in his attempt to block and could only pick the ball from the back of his net for the third and luckily the last time in the game.
Maglas could have added his name to the scoreboard in the 68th minute, but he skied his effort from less than six yards after being set up by Juwayeyi who was brilliant all afternoon on the right flank.
City substitute, Clive Rupiya gave his coach Mandla Mpofu something to smile about despite the loss.
With seven minutes left on the clock Rupiya scored a contender for goal of the season with a first time dipping volley into the top corner of Chris Mverechena’s goal, from around 40 yards and on the near touchline.
“Today was the worst game for me ever since I joined City, our minds were not here and if I was having all the powers I could have stayed in Bulawayo and give all the three points to Triangle.
“There was no fighting and I repeat our minds were not here. I only have to comment about the goal that was scored, but the 18-year-old Rupiya, it was marvellous,” said a dejected Mpofu.
Teams
Triangle: C. Mverechena, B. Juwayeyi, B. Chimwamuchere, K. Chigwida, G. Zhokinyi, R. Kawondera, M. Mawuna (J.Chivasa 74min), B. Maglas (D. Dzvinyai 80min), C. Denias (T. Huwa 62min), R. Madomombe, L.Nhamo
Bulawayo City: N. Sibanda, A. Tandi, N. Sianchakli (T. Ndlovu 67min), O. Ndlovu, I.Wadi, M. Mungadze, Z. Ngodzo, R. Pavari, M. Moyo, Z. Sibanda, I. Kutsanzira (C. Rupiya 73min)
FC Platinum 1, Black Rhinos FC 0; ZPC Kariba 2, Harare City 1; Chapungu 0; CAPS United 0; Ngezi Platinum Stars 3, Highlanders 0; Chicken Inn 1, Hwange 0
PW DL F Chicken Inn 23 15 3 5 25 Ngezi Platinum 23 14 4 5 42 Dynamos 21 14 3 4 36 FC Platinum 23 12 9 2 25 ZPC Kariba 23 11 5 7 24 How Mine 23 10 7 6 21 Highlanders 22 9 5 8 20 Black Rhinos 23 9 4 10 24 Triangle 23 8 78 21 CAPS United 19 7 75 27 BulawayoCity 22 8 3 11 24 Chapungu 22 6 88 13 Harare City 23 6 7 10 16 Yadah 23 6 6 10 17 Shabanie Mine 23 5 7 11 14 Hwange 21 5 5 11 17 Tsholotsho 23 2 9 12 13 Bantu Rovers 22 3 3 16 20 A 9 23 16 12 18 22 21 20 23 21 28 16 17 28 24 27 32 43 Pts 48 46 45 45 38 37 32 31 31 28 27 26 25 24 22 20 15 12