The Sunday Mail
From Paul Mundandi in Zvishavane
FC Platinum..................... (1) 2
Highlanders...................... (1) 2
FC Platinum defender Kelvin Moyo brings down Highlanders’ Knox Mutizwa in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Mandava yesterday. — Picture: Paul Mundandi
Striker Donald Ngoma’s last gasp goal saved 10-man FC Platinum from defeat in a four-goal thriller at Mandava yesterday.
Ngoma scored in the 88th minute to spare coach Norman Mapeza blushes and deny the visitors a morale-boosting win after a tumultuous week that saw Bosso players striking over unpaid bonuses.
Bosso had taken a second-half lead courtesy of a Knox Mutizwa penalty in the 70th minute, with FC Platinum centre-back Kelvin Moyo red-carded for the foul that led to the spot-kick.
The hosts had drawn first blood in the sixth minute when evergreen defensive linkman Thabani Kamusoko shot past Ariel Sibanda from inside the box after being fed by Winston Mhango.
Bosso equalised in stunning fashion four minutes from the breather through veteran striker Obadiah Tarumbwa.
Tarumbwa reacted fastest to a Webster Chingodza cross and when the FC Platinum defenders least expected him to shoot, the former Bantu Rovers gunman rifled a bullet past ‘keeper Petros Mhari.
And after the late FC Platinum equaliser, Bosso thought they had won it right at the death, but Mutizwa’s 93rd minute effort was ruled out for offside.
Reigning Referee of the Year Brighton Chimene’s decision left Bosso coach Bongani Mafu fuming.
“We are a formidable side and I did not see what Knox did wrong for his disallowed goal, but the referee’s decision is final . . . I would have loved a win. We can have problems in the house, but deep down it showed that my boys love their team,” said Mafu.
The draw leaves Highlanders sixth on the log with 18 points, eight behind leaders Chicken Inn, who walloped Buffaloes 3-0 in Bulawayo yesterday.
FC Platinum climbed above Harare City into seventh. The platinum miners are now on 17 points after 12 rounds of action.
FC Platinum coach Mapeza was a relieved man.
“I am happy with the point and I give credit to my boys; we never gave up although we were a man down.
“We need to keep on working hard to reach our target of 25 points in the first half of the season,” said Mapeza.
Teams:
FC Platinum: P Mhari, R Muduviwa, G Bello, K Moyo, R Sibanda, T Kamusoko, W Kamudyariwa, W Mhango (S. Shoko, 58th),W Musona, D Ngoma, B Muzondiwa (A Gahadzikwa, 55th)
Highlanders: A Sibanda, W Chingodza, S Munawa, R Kutsanzira (D. Sibanda 85th), E Muzanenhamo, O Tarumbwa, B Kangwa, K Mutizwa, F Chindungwe(K Nadolo, 36th), H Moyo, E Mudzingwa.
