The Sunday Mail
Dennis Kagonye in Kariba
ZPC Kariba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Yadah Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
A FEW weeks ago, ZPC Kariba coach Godfrey Tamirepi was the odds-on favourite to be the first coach to be fired this Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
Tamirepi’s team lost its first match 0-3 to FC Platinum in the boardroom before falling to Black Rhinos, Herentals and Triangle in the next three matches.
The veteran gaffer’s pedigree was questioned and several coaches were linked with the lucrative ZPC Kariba coaching post.
But in football, things change dramatically.
ZPC Kariba are unbeaten in eight matches, Tamirepi is smiling and confident ahead of a clash with Caps United in his team’s next match.
Yesterday at Nyamhunga, a Sylvester Appiah strike gave his team their first win of the season and lifted them out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.
Appiah fired home after being played on by former Dynamos man Simbarashe Gorogodyo.
The goal proved to be a fatal blow to a Yadah side that had defended resolutely and was starting to look content with collecting a point on the road.
Prior to Appiah’s goal, the game was a balanced affair with the home side having the better start before the visitors crawled their way back into the game a few minutes the breather.
However, for all their solid defensive shape, Yadah look terribly poor in the final third with veteran striker Ralph Matema lacking a capable supporting cast.
ZPC Kariba now have 12 points from as many matches and Tamirepi reckons his team, which picked their win of the season when they dismissed Highlanders at Barbourfields two weeks ago, is slowly turning the corner.
“It’s sweet to win at home, it was a long time in coming. We have not lost in our last eight matches and feel pretty good ahead of our next match against Caps United,” said the ZPC Kariba coach.
Yadah coach Thomas Ruzive conceded defeat.
“We gave everything and it’s unfortunate that we lost. Credit to the home side for winning a tightly contested match,” he said.
Teams
ZPC Kariba: T. Mawaya, B. Zuberi, M. Kunyarimwe, S. Appiah, I. Nekati, T. Munyanduri, S. Gorogodyo (C Mureya 81 mins), P. Tafirenyika (B Nyamuzihwa 87mins), S. Makawa (M Ndemera 47 mins), T. Nyamandwe, T. Chamboko
Yadah Stars: S. Chimusoro, W. Kalongonda, W. Chakanyuka, J. Dzingai, M. Makopa, C. Sekete (M Musiyakuni 81 mins), L. Mavhunga (J Sibanda 60 mins), M. Chiwara, R. Matema, B. Madzokere
