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Black Rhinos’s Masimba Mambare (left) tries to clear the ball under challenge from Highlanders’s Nigel Makumbe and Gabriel Nyoni in this file photo

From Lovemore Kadzura in Rusape
Mutare City 1-1 Black Rhinos

THERE was no winner in this evenly balanced Castle Lager Premiership affair which ended in a draw  Mutare City Rovers held Black Rhinos match at Vengere yesterday.

The match started with Chauya Chipembere the more determined and literally camping in the jittery City’s half in search of an early goal.

In the seventh minute, experienced attacking midfielder Masimba Mambare’s long range shot went wide.

City then launched a counter attack in the 12th minute and striker Billy Vheremu had his powerful shot blocked by Rhinos’ captain Bruce Homora for a corner.

City then gained composure and launched a number of attacks and had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Brighton Chimene when Homora appeared to have handled in the box.

In the 23rd minute City were finally rewarded when striker Khumbulani Njovu headed home from a long throw from Evans Chikwaikwai beating Rhinos keeper Ashely Rayners and they maintained that lead until halftime.

In the second half, Rhinos coach Hebert Maruwa responded by making a double substitution bringing on Tapiwa Sibanda and Milton Kureva for Edgar Chigidi and Allen Gahadzikwa.

The substitution immediately paid dividends as Wellington Taderera’s shot inside the box beat a diving Tafadzwa Dube in goals for City to restore parity in 52nd minute.

The teams exchanged attacks but could not score neither could find the winner.

Mutare City coach Joseph Takaringofa whose side have collected a point in their last five matches said he was disappointed by his team’s performance and blamed lack of experience on his players.

“I am very disappointed by our performance. We never came to the party.

“My players are young and inexperienced and we are paying the price for that.

“They dumped our game plan and started playing the way Rhinos were doing.

“We were supposed to win this match, said Takaringofa.

Maruwa said his team failed to score an early goal as per their plan and said his strikers were not composed upfront.

“We started our game with intention to score early but we ended up chasing our rivals. We did not play our normal game. We need to be patient in front of the goal,” said Maruwa.