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Tobias Mandoreba Hwange Sports Correspondent
Hwange 2, How Mine 0
A strong and purposeful second half display by Hwange saw the coalminers dismissing a determined How Mine in a thrilling Premiership match at the Colliery Stadium yesterday.

The coalminers needed to win at all costs to move away from the murky waters of relegation and head coach Nation Dube must have read the riot act during the breather as his charges came back for the second half supercharged.

A flashing header by lanky defender David Boriwondo from a delicious corner kick by Farai Vimisai in the 62nd minute set the tone for wild celebrations by the home fans before a clever chip over the goalkeeper by substitute Newman Sianchali 10 minutes from time hammered the final nail in the How Mine’s coffin.

Sianchali benefited from a beautiful through pass by midfield kingpin Rodwell Chinyengetere and responded by punishing goalkeeper Bernard Donovan for leaving his line too early.

The match had started at a very slow pace with both teams looking jaded in the opening half, with the visitors’ only chance falling in the 13th minute when Thembani Masuku unleashed a left footed grounder that missed the target by a few inches.

The coalminers only sprang to life in the last quarter of the opening stanza with some delightful touches.

In the 30th minute Hwange could have broken the deadlock when midfielder Innocent Mucheneka released national Under-23 winger Pritchard Mpelele, who, however, disappointed with a hurried effort that was way off target from close range.

Mucheneka then turned from provider to culprit hardly two minutes later when he produced the miss of the afternoon from inside the box after he latched onto a sitter by Mpelele, only to blaze wide off the mark with the net beaconing.

Another attack by Hwange five minutes from half time orchestrated by overlapping left-back Munyaradzi Mungadze ended with striker Alec Marime’s bicycle kick being smothered by an alert Donovan.

Hwange then raced into the lead through Boriwondo, who rose high to connect Vimisai’s well-taken corner kick.

To their credit, How Mine started launching dangerous raids in the coalminers’ half after the goal with the pint-sized Timothy January full of running, but all their hopes of a comeback fizzled after Hwange’s second goal.

How Mine coach Luke Masomere surprisingly pulled off livewire January for Heritein Masuku eight minutes from time, which resulted in How Mine’s attacking threat vanishing.

Yesterday’s win was sweet revenge for Hwange, who lost 1-2 to the visitors in the reverse fixture.

Hwange goalkeepers’ coach Chenjerai Dube was all smiles after the game. “The win is sweet for us after a difficult first half as we managed to open up the visitors in the last half. We hope to even improve in our next game against FC Platinum,” said Dube.

Masomere conceded defeat after the game.

“We played well but let in cheap goals, such is football. I also would like to praise the referee Mlindeli Ndebele and his colleagues for a good game. We should not always talk when these guys make mistakes, but also give them credit when they do well,” said Masomere after the match.

Teams

Hwange: T Mawaya; A Chuma; M Mungadze; G Ndlovu; D Boriwondo; C Muleya; F Vimisai (G Mbweti 89th min); P Mpelele; R Chinyengetere; A Marime (N Sianchali

62th min); I Mucheneka

How Mine: B Donovan; T Khumbuyani; M Gutu; M Mupera; M Kadzola; G Nguwodzawo (N Ndale 75th min); B Marere; N Tachi; K Musharu; T Masuku; T January (H Masuku 82th min).