Harare Bureau
Harare City 1-0 Chicken Inn
Buffaloes 2-1 HwangeHARARE City heaped a huge sigh of relief as they survived the relegation chop when they edged Chicken Inn in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Rufaro yesterday.

The Sunshine Boys needed a win to survive the battle which saw Black Rhinos and Shabanie joining Bantu Rovers and Chiredzi in Division One.

Osbourne Mukuradare made up for missing a penalty five minutes earlier when he found the goal that made all the difference in the 25th minute.

City played purposeful football from the onset and had Francisco Zekumbawira and Martin Vengesai causing all sorts of problems.

Mukuradare had his penalty saved by Pride Zendera who had a good game for Chicken Inn but despite that set back the striker made amends when he fired home what proved the winner five minutes after the penalty miss.

Harare City coach Masimba Dinyero was a relieved man and said they are happy they survived and will avoid fighting relegation next season.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas said they would now look up to next season which they need to improve.

Meanwhile Mutare Premiership side, Buffaloes secured their slot in the country’s top flight league for next season after dismissing Hwange in an entertaining Castle Lager Premiership match at Sakubva yesterday.

Coming into yesterday’s match, Moses “Bambo” Chunga and his men were skirting on thin ice, facing real danger of being relegated but the Mutare outfit turned on the heat and once again survived relegation on the last day of the season.

Although Hwange were literally were playing for nothing but pride, the coalminers appeared determined to take the game to their opponents and duly drew first blood with only eight minutes into the match.

Hwange’s Tafara Chese propelled his team into the lead with a hard and low shot that went past a cluster of Buffaloes defenders and beat Buffaloes goalminder Blessing Mwandimutsira all systems out.

The visitors continued pilling pressure on Buffaloes and could have increased the lead in the 52nd minute when Gilbert Zulu was just unlucky as he rattled the crossbar with a blistering shot.

However, speedy Buffaloes were the better team of two in the second half and their striker Lloyd Katongomara restored parity in the 56th minute after tapping home in a goalmouth melee.

Buffaloes then kept their feet on the pedal in search of a winning goal and their efforts were rewarded eight minutes before regulation time when ageing striker Jacob Muzokomba’s intelligent turn and shoot fooled Hwange goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya to give the Mutare side a well deserved victory.

 

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