Herentals, Rhinos share spoils

FORMER Dynamos striker Tawanda Macheke found the target just after the restart as Black Rhinos battled from behind to force a share of the spoils in their Premiership encounter against Herentals at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.

Herentals drew first blood in the 18th minute through Avi Mataranyika before Macheke levelled matters three minutes after the break. The game threatened to be an action-filled affair after both sides got scoring opportunities inside the opening 10 minutes, but the tempo gradually fizzled out.

Instead, both sides retreated into their shells and opted for caution over adventure.

Herentals were first to break the deadlock in the 18th minute after a swift movement from their own half.

The move saw Tafadzwa Jim picking up a deflected Rhinos free-kick before finding Tinotenda Benza on the left flank, who returned the pass to Jim.

Jim did well to side-foot his marker before sending in a cross, which Mataranyika connected with a first-time volley that gave the Rhinos goalkeeper Stanley Chakwama no chance. There were no meaningful scoring opportunities thereafter until the breather.

Rhinos, who came from the break the better side, levelled scores in the 48th minute via Macheke, who unleashed a powerful grounder that proved too hot to handle for Prince Tafiremutsa in goals for Herentals.

It was a similar script to the one witnessed in the first half as both sides went to sleep soon after the Rhinos equaliser and only woke from their slumber five minutes before time when Tafiremutsa summoned his experience to deny Rhinos a second goal.

Rhinos coach Herbert Maruwa was still happy with the point.

“They caught us off-guard with that early goal but we came back into the game and I feel that we should have won it in the second half. “But again it is good to get a point than to walk away empty-handed.

“It may be the start of the season but the point keeps us within the leading pack of the Premiership, so this was an important result for us,” he said.