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A Benjamin Marere-inspired FC Platinum sent out loud warning shots in their ambitious project of landing the title in their maiden season in the top flight league when they doused the coal flames in a pulsating Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the Colliery yesterday.
The former Dynamos player, who was a bag of snakes for the Hwange rearguard each time he was in possession of the ball, spiced up the memorable afternoon by creating the only goal of the match that was scored by lanky Donald Ngoma in 67th minute.
After combining well with Charles Sibanda in the middle of the park, Marere sent in a lovely cross which was drilled home by Ngoma to send the visiting drum-beating FC Platinum fans into a frenzy.
With the important win, the cash-rich outfit are now tied on 26 points with Motor Action at the top of the table but are on second spot by virtue of an inferior goal difference.
And Rahman Gumbo’s side must be enjoying the way Mighty Bulls have suddenly turned themselves into Father Christmas by dropping crucial points in the last two games with draws against Hwange and Kiglon.
While Chipangano team manager Tennant Chilumba tasted his first home defeat this season which halted his four game impressive run, Gumbo might not have dreamt of a much better start than two wins on the trot at the helm of FC Platinum.
Yesterday’s game was electrifying from the start and it was Marere who could have grabbed an early lead for his team in the 4th minute when he got acres of space to shoot from the edge of the box but he directed his effort wide.
The coalminers didn’t take long to respond as moments later midfield workhorse Winston Muhango embarked on a solo midfield run but only to see his left-footed grounder just missing the left upright.
But like in previous games in which he impresses, Muhango is always surprisingly substituted and yesterday he paved way for Rodwell Chinyengetere in the 57th minute but the player could not pull out the game out of the fire for the hosts.
The visitors threatened again in the 10th minute but Charles Sibanda watched in disbelief as his shot, off an indirect free kick combination with Joel Ngodzo, grazed some paint off the upright with the hosts’ goalminder Timothy Sibanda beaten.
That was the only meaningful contribution by the usually dangerous Ngodzo in the whole game and was justifiably dragged off for Mernard Mupera in the 63rd minute.
The visitors then upped the tempo of the game with volumes of pressure and in the 20th minute Hwange fans’ hearts almost leapt out of their mouths when Marere’s goal-bound effort was scooped off the line by dreadlocked Chipangano midfielder Nkosana Siwela.
The young player had a good game in the home team’s colours.
Hwange’s Zambian import Kennedy Kashema thought he had grabbed the elusive goal at the brink of half-time but his 35-metre cracker drew the best out of veteran goalie Tafadzwa Dube who acrobatically went airborne to safely collect the ball.
Teams
Hwange
T. Sibanda, T. Sibelo, M. Mungadze, A. Katebe, G. Ndlovu, A. Tshuma, N. Siwela, W. Muhango (R. Chinyengetere 57th minute), K. Kachema, G. Zulu, F. Zekumbawere (S. Dube).
FC Platinum
T. Dube, K. Banda, B. Dube, L. Zvasiya, D. Vheremu, C. Sibanda, B. Ncube (A. Marime 52nd minute), J Ngodzo (M. Mupera 63rd minute), N. Togara, D. Ngoma (T. Kamusoko 80th minute), B Marere.