Flame Lily, Hwange draw
Flame Lily . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2 Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2 RELEGATION candidates Flame Lily continue to walk the fine line after being held by Hwange in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie at Lafarge yesterday.
Twice they benefited from Brighton Chandisaita’s sure-footed spot kicks and twice they failed to hold on as Hwange repeatedly clawed back into the match before walking away with a deserved point.
Hwange got their goals from Gilbert Zulu and Rodwell Chinyengetere.
The home side surged into the lead inside the first minute after referee Norman Matemera pointed to the spot following Munyaradzi Mungadze’s foul on Flame Lily striker James Chivasa.
Chandisaita stepped up and converted the penalty.
The pitch, which would later be described by Hwange assistant coach Mebelo Njekwa as the modern day “Potato field”, then contributed to ruin a rather perfect game as both sides failed to take the initiative, often relying on the long balls.
Veteran Zulu restored parity for Hwange as he blasted past Lloyd Majarira in goals for Flame Lily.
The game looked to be headed for a stalemate until Matemera pointed to the spot yet again in the 83rd minute, this time for a David Boriwondo offence he best can explain.
It was a shocking decision.
Like before, Chandisaita stepped up and converted the spot kick.
However, the visitors would have the last laugh. Chinyengetere’s long range effort from just outside the box ensured a share of spoils.
After the match, a visibly irate Njekwa, who is standing in for Nation Dube, who is away with the Under-23 at the Africa Games, said his team could have won were it not for the unplayable pitch and “some dubious decisions” from the referee.
“To quote the great Moses Chunga, this is a potato field,” said Njekwa.
“This indeed was a hard fought draw. I say that in the sense that we were playing against 12 men. We might have made blunders here and there but when we picked up our game we were sailing.
“The referee then contributed by giving dubious penalties, especially the second one. All we saw were people in the box and no offence but then again this is football,” he said.
His opposite number, Backlyfield Chivenga, defended the referee and said the result, while it hurts, was fair.
“We lost concentration towards the end of the game and in football when you do that you get punished.
“We are running out of time as far as survival is concerned but we will not rush to push the panic button just yet. As for all the talk about the referee, I saw nothing wrong with his officiating and those were two legit penalties,” he said.