The Sunday Mail
Chapungu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Simba Chiminya in Gweru —
TENDAI CHIKUNI has brought the passing game to Chapungu and although his team didn’t win their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League opener at Ascot yesterday his side won the hearts of many.
Chikuni replaced John Nyikadzino in the off season and arrived at the Airforce of Zimbabwe with several players he groomed during his days as the FC Platinum development side’s coach.
Blessing Sahondo, Nigel Papias, and Livingston Genti could not break into the Pure Platinum Play first team but have found a new home at Chapungu and they look hungry for success.
Papias had a fine outing on his debut and was unlucky not to open the scoring on 61 minutes with his scorcher, hit on the run and from a distance, crashing against the crossbar.
Earlier the forward had found himself face to face with Ronald Mudimu, after being set up by Tineyi Chitora, but lost his footing and allowed Donald Dzvinyai to clear.
Both teams were slow out of the blocks.
However, it was the home side which settled first midfielder Ian Nyoni running rings in the midfield of the park and distributing the ball well into the flanks.
Nyoni’s efforts were not complemented by the Chapungu forwards who were always second to the ball.
Triangle on the other hand waited until the 30th minute to test Chapungu goalkeeper Roy Mazingi with a long range shot which the keeper smothered well.
Guthrie Zhokinyi had another chance on the stroke of halftime but his header, off a Tonisani Sibelo cross, went wide.
Teams
Chapungu: R Mazingi, C Mativenga, R Bota, B Zabula, C Kwaramba, L Genti, I Nyoni, K Bingala (B Sahondo 75 mins), N Papias (B Mugoni 70 mins) , T Chitora, L Gwerina (X Ncube 67 mins)
Triangle: R Mudimu, R Kawondera, M Nelson, D Dzvinyai, K Chigwida, G Zhokinyi, T Sibelo, S Alimenda, R Madamombe, T Rukanda (J Chivasa 67 mins) , L Nhamo
