Shabanie concede late at home
Shabanie Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1 Triangle United . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1 PRESENTED with a golden opportunity to escape the relegation zone by a favourable sequence of results, Shabanie Mine failed to collect maximum points at Maglas yesterday to remain trapped in the dreaded drop zone.
Bruno Mtigo scored after the breather for Shabanie Mine and they looked on course for all sets of points but they allowed the visitors to level the scoreboard in the 90th minute through Lameck Nhamo.
Shabanie Mine came into the duel knowing that only a win will elevate them above the murky waters of relegation on goal difference.
Triangle United also came into the match five points above the relegation zone knowing that a defeat will leave them only two points above the drop with four games still to play.
Both sides showed the importance of the match in an otherwise ill-tempered match which almost spiralled out of control for referee Edward Mucharambei.
The visitors took the match to the hosts in the early exchanges, an unmarked Courage Dennias got a chance inside the box in the sixth minute but missed the ball completely allowing the defenders to recover and clear their lines.
After half an hour of action, exciting winger Tinashe Mupumha weaved his magic on the right before flighting a cross to Tafadzwa Chimoyo whose powerful shot was repelled by Triangle ‘keeper Ronald Mudimu.
Eight minutes after the breather Maglas erupted when Mtigo breached the visitors defence.
But with time running out, former Dynamos defender Guthrie Zhokinyi fired a powerful shot in the 90th minute which was repelled by Petros Moyo and Nhamo showed predatory instincts by quickly ghosting into the box to fire home the equaliser.
Shabanie Mine coach Takesure Chiragwi refused to be drowned in the sorrows of defeat.
“It is part of the game if you lose concentration you will be punished. But we are still in and still fighting, the guys did well and that point is okay, it adds to our points tally and will be valuable at the end,” he said.
Triangle United coach Taurai Mangwiro was a happy man.
“It was a very difficult game, we sucked in a lot of pressure. It took some fight for us to rescue a point.
“We have been missing this fighting spirit and I am happy we fought till the end and it paid off.
“In the end we maintained a fivepoint gap between us and them and we can maintain that until the end. We got a lifeline today and we cannot afford to lose it,” said Mangwiro.
Teams: Shabanie Mine: P Moyo, L Manyande, B Mukundu, T Chigede, N Mpofu, W Mupasiri (R Kawondera, 54th min), F Mupasiri, A Dzumbunu, B Mtigo, T Chimoyo, T Mupumha (W Taderera, 68th min)
Triangle United: R Mudimu, D Dzinyai (E Phiri, 87th min), N Meson, K Chigwida, G Zhokinyi, R Kawondera, T Huwa (E Kamunda, 75th min), B Juwayeyi (T Rukanda, 57th min), C Denias, R Madamombe, L Nhamo