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Kelvin Kaindu

Tawanda Mangoma Triangle Sports Correspondent
Triangle 5-2 Hwange
TRIANGLE emerged the highest scorers of the opening week of the 2015 Castle Lager Premiership race after their seven-goal thriller against Hwange at Gibbo Stadium yesterday. It was a good start to the season for head coach Kelvin Kaindu who joined the club towards the end of the season last year. Sugar Sugar Boys started the match firing on all cylinders with returnee Pasca Manhanga finding the target in the third minute of the first stanza.

The visitors’ goalkeeper London Zulu was caught off guard after he failed to deal with Manhanga’s rising shot from 30 metres.

The home side who dominated their opponents into submission could have scored another goal on 12 minutes but Hardlife Mavundi’s effort lacked precision in front of goal after blasting his shot over the bar from inside the box.

On the 21st minute Manhanga threaded a fine pass to Mavundi who embarked on a solo run before dribbling past Hwange player Pakamani Dube but his shot hit the upright.

Hwange, who were struggling the entire afternoon, made their first attempt on goal in the 26th minute with Evans Rusike’s superb shot saved by the home side shotstopper Ronald Mudimu.

The football gods finally rewarded Mavundi in the 32nd minute after he beat a jittery Zulu with a fine thunderbolt. Hwange defender Gerald Ndlovu came to the rescue of the visitors, clearing from the line Lameck Nhamo’s freekick on the 38th minute.

Triangle star Richard Kawondera made it three in the 42nd minute in a move that was engineered by Mavundi and Brian Juwayeyi.

The homeside fans were jerked off their seats on the 44th minute with Nhamo Lameck’s assurance goal.

Hwange made three changes just after half time substituting goalkeeper London Zulu for Timothy Sibanda, Gilbert Zulu for Tafara Chese, Aleck Marime for Creven Banda.

The move paid dividends when Evans Rusike scored a remarkable goal on the 48th minute before Zulu added another one.

But the home side extended their lead in the 89th minute with Hillary Bakacheza’s strike.

Triangle head coach Kaindu said he was happy with the win. “I’m happy that we scored five goals past Hwange. They aren’t a small team. They adjusted in the second half, I’m happy we had already done the damage,” he said.

Hwange goalkeepers’ coach Chenjerai Dube said they lost the match in the first half.

“We had a young goalkeeper in goals today who was doing well at training but he did not cope well. We lost the match during the first half but we improved in the second half but it was too late,” he said.

Teams
Triangle: R Mudimu, Charles Rukwanhi, N Melson, J Dzingai, J Tigere, T Chipunza, B Juwayeyi (H Bakacheza 74th minute), P Manhanga (C Kamhapa 74th minute), R Kawondera, H Mavundi, L Nhamo.

Hwange: L Zulu (T Sibanda 46th minute), P Dube, M Mungadze, G Ndlovu, D Boriwondo, A Chuma, C Banda (A Marime 46th minute), T Chese (G Zulu 46th minute), I Masame, F Vimisai, E Rusike.