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Tobias Mandoreba Hwange Sports Correspondent

Hwange 2-0 Flame Lilly

THE passionate Hwange FC fans danced and sang themselves hoarse after the final whistle as the coalminers finally remembered how to win a football match with a polished display which doused visiting Flame Lilly in a Castle Lager Premier League match played at the Colliery Stadium yesterday.

The coalminers had gone for a lengthy 720 minutes of football action without a win — two losses and six draws — to leave the entire Hwange community restless and wondering if the football gods had abandoned their team during its hour of need.

At the end of the day, two goals by young midfielder Innocent Muchenekwa in the 55th minute and veteran striker Gilbert Zulu four minutes later changed the sad script of the opening games.

Goalkeepers’ coach Chenjerayi Dube, who together with head coach Nation Dube must have had a very peaceful sleep last night, declared at the end of the game that it was now time for the coal embers to glow bright across the scene in Zimbabwe’s elite league.

“We were eager for a first victory and I’m happy it came in a delightful manner as the boys played according to instructions. We will work extra hard to pick up from this and ensure we rise up the ladder as it is still early days as we can even gun for honours.” said an elated Dube.

Hwange, who were missing four regular players captain Gerald Ndlovu, Munyaradzi Mungadze, Evans Rusike (through suspension) and Nkosana Siwela (injury) came out guns blazing from impressive referee Hardley Ndazi’s first whistle and could have embarrassed the visitors with a rugby score line victory had they been more clinical in front of goal.

In the fifth minute, the coalminers won an indirect free kick just inside the box but lanky striker Aleck Marime’s dipping effort, off a short pass by Zulu, was heroically headed over the bar by a diving Ralph Kawondera.

On the quarter hour mark, it was Isaac Masame’s chance to try his luck when he latched on a loose ball on the edge of the box but his ferocious thunderbolt sailed inches over the bar with goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba diving in vain.

With Flame Lilly trying to regroup after starting the game in a freezing mode, left back Pritchard Mpelele headed wide with a yawning net in front of him after he had benefited from a delicate Phakamani Dube cross from the right flank in the 18th minute.

The fired up coalminers were not done in the opening stanza as Marime, who was a bag of tricks for Flame Lilly defenders each time he had the ball, turned Kawondera inside out in the box but his volley found Chigumba alert on duty on the half hour mark.

Flame Lilly’s first attempt at goal only came a minute before half time after hard running Gift Phiri released a well-positioned Moses Demera who however disappointed by blazing his effort way over the bar.

The second half started in the same fashion with Hwange launching venomous attacks one after the other and it was not a surprise as they surged ahead in the 55th minute after Marime did all the donkey work on the left flank and unselfishingly laid a sitter for Mucheneka who easily tapped home to give Hwange the breakthrough.

Before the success starved home fans had finished celebrating, Zulu put the final nail in Flame Lilly’s coffin four minutes later with a fine header after a sweet cross from Mpelele who had a good game.

The coalminers continued enjoying greater possession through some crisp passing game up to the end and should blame themselves for not running away victors with an avalanche of goals.

Hwange FC Club president Thomas Makore could be seen smiling for the first time this season as he was part of the crowd that watched Chipangano’s sublime and blistering performance and the fans will hope it’s an omen for better things to come.

Flame Lilly gaffer Nesbert Saruchera admitted that his boys came up against a better side.

“The boys tried all the best but it was not our day. We’re still a young team and learning many things, we hope to improve.” he said after the match.

TEAMS

Hwange: T Sibanda, P Dube, D Boriwondo, A Tshuma, I Mucheneka, I Masame (T Chese 64th minute), C Muleya, C Banda, P Mpelele, A Marime, G Zulu (G Mbweti 88th minute)

Flame Lilly: P Chigumba, G Phiri, E Madhanhanga, S Jimu, R Kawondera, T Huwa, E Kopeni, M Muponda ( S Harrison 80th minute), M Demera, P Chinyama (S Munhira 84th minute), M Chigora (F Mugumwa 56th minute).