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Tobias Mandoreba Hwange Correspondent
Hwange 2-0 Harare City
THE smiles returned to the faces of the passionate and soccer crazy Hwange fans after the coalminers rediscovered their blistering form to compound Harare City’s misery after a Castle Lager Premier league match played at the Colliery Stadium yesterday.

After enduring a nightmarish 360 minutes of football action where they picked up just one point from a possible 12, Hwange silenced the prophets of doom who had written them off from the championship equation with some flowing and attacking football which left their drum beating fans in a delirium.

At the end of an afternoon in which head coach Nation Dube and his lieutenant Brian Njovu knew that only a win would appease their restless executive, goals by defender David Boriwondo (61st minute) and an injury time volley by substitute Nkosana Siwela must have given the duo some peace last night.

As early as the first minute, the coalminers made their intentions known when Alec Marime cleverly chested a long ball from young defender Phakamani Dube before laying a sitter for Isaac Masame who disappointed by blasting his effort over the bar.

Hwange continued making inroads into Harare City’s half with another chance coming in the 16th minute when midfield maestro Rodwell Chinyengetere’s dipping free kick  grazing some paint off the crossbar with goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupanedengu diving in vain.

Sensing that the miners were bent on darkening their afternoon, the Sunshine Boys launched their first realistic attack at goal in the 20th minute when midfield wizard James Jam and William Manondo embarked on a lovely two man move which ended with the latter releasing the stocky Francisco Zvikumbawire whose effort whistled past the left upright post.

The home fans were then left with their hearts in their mouths on the half hour mark when the visitors got their best moments of the afternoon, firstly after a Manondo screamer was tipped on the left upright post by a diving goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya with the rebound rolling towards the onrushing Nathan Ziwini who responded by unleashing another scorching thunderbolt which lanky defender Boriwondo bravely headed over the bar for a corner.

Bigboy Mawiwi’s charges were not finished as Timire Mamvura forced another brilliant save from Mawaya two minutes later with another left footed bullet which was intended for the roof of the nets.

Five minutes after the breather, Mawiwi threw onto the fray speed merchant Martin Vengesayi for the injured Zvikumbawire with the change serving to add some sting into Harare City’s attack especially on the left flank.

The miss of the afternoon then came from Marime in the 53th minute when he received a sitter from Masame deep in the visitors box only to miscue his shot with Nyamupanedengu at his mercy.

In the 61st minute defender Boriwondo took matters into his hands when he rose high to connect a curling Munyaradzi Mungadze corner kick with a flashing header into the roof of the nets to leave the fans on cloud nine.

The visitors tried hard to fight back with some inspiration coming from another substitute Agrippa Murimba who replaced William Manondo twenty minutes from time.

With the home fans whistling for the final whistle to safeguard their precious slender lead, Hwange coach Nation Dube threw in returning defender Tonisani Sibelo on the stroke of fulltime for Farai Vimisai with the Hwange born player receiving a rousing welcome from the home supporters.

Sibelo did not disappoint as he created the second goal deep into injury time with a delicious free kick which was netted in by fellow substitute Nkosana Siwela with a marvellous volley which left Nyamupanedengu clutching thin air.

Hwange goalkeepers’ coach Chenjerayi Dube was over the moon after the match.

“It’s a big relief for everyone and we are more than happy to return to winning ways after picking up only a point from the last four matches. Hwange is still very much in the race as we have 14 games to go,” he said.

Bigboy Mawiwi accepted defeat and blamed some lapse in concentration by his boys.

“We came here with a game plan which we followed well but I told my players before the game that Hwange is one of the most dangerous teams on set pieces but they did not take heed hence we were punished. I also want to give credit to the referees for a sterling performance worth mentioning,” he said.

True to Mawiwi’s comments, the match referee Hardley Ndazi had an excellent and flawless performance at the centre.

Teams:

Hwange: T Mawaya; P Dube; M Mungadze; A Tshuma; D Boriwondo; C Muleya; F Vimisai (T Sibelo 90th minute); I Masame (N Siwela 80th minute); R Chinyengetere; G Zulu; A Marime (68th minute)

Harare City: M Nyamupanedengu; M Nyenyediro; T Chiworeso; D Kutyauripo; C Dickson; R Uchena; T Mamvura (B Maglasi 80th minute); J Jam; F Zvikumbawire (M Vengesayi 50th minute); W Manondo (A Murimba 70th minute), N Ziwini