The Sunday Mail
Highlanders. . . . . . (1) 1
How Mine. . . . . . . . (1) 1
(How Mine won 4-3 on penalties)
Veteran goalkeeper Ephraim Mazarura saved a penalty and scored another in the shoot-out as How Mine dumped city rivals Highlanders out of the One Wallet Cup in a nail-biting encounter at Ascot yesterday.
The game had ended 1-1 after regulation time with Felix Chindungwe scoring for Bosso while Godfrey Nguwodzawo was on target for Chikurupati.
Mazarura showed his vast experience in the dreaded penalty lottery.
The former Warriors ’keeper converted How Mine’s second spot kick before saving Valentine Ndaba’s casual strike to set the stage for Brighton Dube, whose rising shot propelled the miners into the semis.
Bosso goalie Ariel Sibanda, who had come in for striker Ozias Zibande in a classic substitution, converted and so did the ageless Mthulisi Maphosa and ’keeper Munyaradzi Diya.
Dreadlocked centre back Gilbert Banda and Wonder Sithole were also on target for How Mine whose third by Xolisani Moyo, was saved by Diya.
The match had gotten off to a frantic start with Zibande believing he had opened the scoring in the eighth minute after connecting with a Bruce Kangwa cross.
The effort was controversially ruled out for offside.
However, there was no such controversy four minutes later when Chindungwe, playing in an unaccustomed anchoring role, having struggled for game time since joining from Chicken Inn, gave Mazarura little chance with a well-taken shot from outside the box.
The miners would not give in and an unmarked Nguwodzawo levelled matters in the 29th minute with a powerful header from a corner kick.
Diya, who was restored in goal after struggling with competition from Ariel Sibanda, had done well to push out a ferocious shot by Thembani Masuku for a corner but was badly let down by his defenders who allowed the former Harare City man a free header.
The second half was not short of drama as Mazarura ensured How Mine remained in the reckoning, denying 2010 Soccer Star of the Year Charles Sibanda from the spot in the 52nd minute.
Sibanda had won the spot kick after being impeded upon by How Mine goalie Edmore Muzanenhamo.
A victorious Philani “Beefy” Ncube boasted that there was no way he was going to lose on his home-coming having grown up in the Midlands.
“We knew if we hold them until the breather we were going to win. There was no way I was going to lose here in Midlands because this is my home and it’s a good stepping stone for us after losing three of our previous matches,” said the bubbly Ncube.
His opposite number, Kelvin Kaindu, blamed the poor state of the pitch.
“We would have wanted to wrap up the match in regulation time but unfortunately we couldn’t.
“It was not a good game, the pitch did not allow us to play our normal flowing game and we hope next time the organisers will find better venues,” said the coach.
