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Harare Bureau

FORMER Warriors coach Norman Mapeza should have breathed a huge sigh of relief at the weekend after guiding his struggling South African Premiership football side Chippa to their first win this season

The Chilli Boys shocked hosts AmaZulu 2-0 courtesy of a double strike by William Twala. The win was a welcome relief to Mapeza, who had to make do with wholesale changes after his squad suffered several injuries in the last week.

Mapeza’s fate had already become the subject for discussion at the Chilli Boys where the club owner Siviwe Mpangesi is notorious for being impatient with the coaches.

Despite the win, Chippa are still bottom of the table with 7 points from 11 outings.

Mapeza had only won one game in the four matches that he had been in charge of since taking over from axed Clinton Larsen in October. 

This was the 1-0 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic in the Telkom Knockout. However, maximum points in the league had been eluding him and last week he told the South African media that he was prepared for any eventualities even if it meant he got sacked because he was aware of the club’s bad reputation of axing coaches.

“I knew when I came here (about the club’s reputation) but I just wanted to get the feel of this environment.

“And if tomorrow the owner of the club says ‘look, coach, you have failed’, I will take my stuff and go home with my head up high.”

Mapeza, however, had remained hopeful that his boys will turn the corner. 

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean connection of Knox Mutizwa and Danny Phiri yesterday helped Lamontville Golden Arrows defeat giants Mamelodi Sundown 3-2 in an Absa Premiership match at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium.

Golden Arrows began the game with all four of their Zimbabwean players in goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda‚ defender Divine Lunga‚ midfielder Phiri and striker Mutizwa in the startling line-up.

Thapelo Morena handed The Brazilians a deserved first-half lead but Phiri pulled the teams level following a howler by Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango.

Onyango spilled Phiri’s shot into his own goal before Mutizwa weighed in with a brace to hand Arrows the advantage. 

Divine Lunga also weighed in with an assist when Mutizwa got on the end of his cross and his shot back across goal eluded Onyango into the far corner.

Mutizwa added a third with 10 minutes remaining when Seth Parusnath’s surging run into the box saw him clipped by Sundowns defender Mosa Lebusa and referee Abongile Tom correctly pointed to the spot.

Andile Jali netted a late goal for Sundowns but the damage had already been done.