Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Lovemore Dube
21 April 2008
Gwanda — Njube Sundowns ..(2) 3 Shooting Stars ..0 Visiting Shooting Stars played all the exciting football but Njube Sundowns did what the game is all about -- scoring goals to walk away with maximum points in an entertaining CBZ Premiership soccer match at Pelandaba yesterday.
It was bound to be an uphill task for Stars who were playing their fourth match in eight days. They were away to Masvingo United the previous weekend, on Tuesday, they played Dynamos winning 3-0 to set a date with Highlanders in the final of the Independence Trophy, which they won 1-0 on Friday.
Game number four proved a taxing encounter physically as their hosts Sundowns took advantage of that to score three goals, all of them taking advantage of the Uhuru Cup winners' fatigue. Coach Thulani Ncube acknowledged at the end of the game that they had taken advantage of the Harare team's having played too much football in a short space of time.
"Our game plan was that these guys had played too many games and would be tired. So we decided to kill them on the break and our strategy worked. There was much improvement on my guys' performance from our last game.
"Our opponents played a good passing game as a team. They gave us a good run," said the Sundowns coach. His counterpart Patson Ndabambi praised his fatigue-hit boys for a good performance. He said the fluffed chances in the second half put paid to their hopes of, at least, getting a point, blaming the result to too many games within a week.
"We came out strongly in the second half but we did not do well in finishing off the chances we created," said Ndabambi. Sundowns opened the scoring in the 40th minute through a penalty created and scored by Patrick Tom with Thabani Kamusoko adding the second two minutes later.
Evans Chikwayikwayi killed the match off in the 90th minute. Sundowns were the first to come close to breaking the deadlock in the sixth minute with Tom getting the better of hardworking Max Karimanzira on the left flank but his pile-drive from within the box went wide.
On 11 minutes, Tom headed wide a good cross from Frank Mvula who had a good game on the right flank. The visitors' first realistic opportunity was to land on Pride Tafirenyika in the 30th minute. After a well worked out move on the left in which four Stars players exchanged passes, Tafirenyika failed to head the ball beyond the reach of goalkeeper Brian Ndlovu, directing his effort to the goalminder's waiting hands from a Thomas Magorimbo cross. In the 40th minute Tom was brought down in the box by impressive diminutive leftback Thembani Masuku and referee Mike Mpofu who had a good game rightly pointed to the spot.
The burly striker took the responsibility to beat Phil Nhete with a firm shot. Two minutes later a headed clearance from Daniel Veremu fell onto the path of Kamusoko on the 18-yard box arc and he obliged with a first time shot that gave an unorganised Stars rearguard no chance. A minute later Nhete denied Mvula from about 30 metres out. In the 53rd minute Tafirenyika, wide on the left, turned and then sent a right-footed effort, which missed the target by a few inches.
Elvis Meleka, scorer of the goal that sunk Highlanders in the Independence Cup final, had his header blocked by a beaten Ndlovu in goal for Sundowns denying the visitors a goal. Chikwayikwayi could have scored his first goal and the third of the game in the 69th minute but from a promising position in the box he completely missed the ball. Seven minutes later the lanky Veremu had his shot stopped by Ndlovu. On 83 minutes Dominic Mukandi had his shot blocked for a corner while a minute later former FC Windermere player Milton Ncube who resembles the talented Nkosilathi "Diego" Khumalo in so many respects chested a long ball in the box and skied his effort under pressure from Tinashe Gwaringeisu and Sikhumbuzo Banda.
In the 89th minute a chance to pull one back presented itself but Esau Amisi's effort crashed against the upright. Chikwayikwayi finished off the visitors in the 90th minute coming to the end of a sleek move by the hosts to beat Nhete in a one-on-one situation, making amends for a similar miss in the 82nd minute. Stars dominated the proceedings with a good passing game.
Everytime they surged forward with their one-twos they looked threatening and won themselves several sympathisers among the fans. The scoreline was not a true reflection of the proceedings here in Gwanda. Mpofu, who was assisted by Cosmas Nyoni and Brighton Malandule, had a good game and yellow-carded Meleka and Kupera for rough tackles.
Teams
Njube Sundowns: B. Ndlovu, F. Mvula, J. Shambarume, S. Banda, T. Gwaringeisu, T. Ngulube, E. Phiri (M. Webb 81st minute), P. Tom, E. Chikwayikwayi, H. Masuku (D. Mukandi 54th minute), T. Kamusoko.
Shooting Stars: P. Nhete, M. Karimanzira, T. Masuku, D. Veremu, G. Zhokinyu, E. Meleka, T. Magorimbo (E. Amisi 62nd minute), E. Matsika (C. Makoto 62nd minute), M. Ncube, W. Kupera, P. Tafirenyika.
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