The Sunday Mail
Bulawayo City. . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Mutare City Rovers. . . . . . (0) 0
FOR a second consecutive game, Bulawayo City finished with 10 men – only that this time around they were on the winning side, seeing off Mutare City in a lively Castle Lager Premier Soccer League contest at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
A first half injury time goal by Mkhululi Moyo gave Bulawayo City their eighth win of the season.
Amakhosi finished with 10 men on the field after referee Philani Ncube sent off impressive skipper Xolisani Moyo two minutes before the end for a second bookable offence.
Moyo had two minutes earlier been shown a yellow card for deliberately handling the ball and when he went down easily inside the Mutare City box, Ncube had no option but to send him off for simulation.
In their 2-1 defeat to Harare City, the Bulawayo side had Brian Chikwenya red-carded by referee Thabani Bhamala under controversial circumstances.
Bulawayo City stand-in coach Try Ncube felt the visitors had an advantage over them because of the height of their players.
“It was very tough, I think Mutare is a good side.
They troubled us with their physicality and their height. We managed to get the goal that made the difference. The plan was to play the ball on the ground so that we are not at a disadvantage (because of) the height (difference).
At the end of the day we are happy with the performance although sometimes luck was on our side,” said Ncube.
Taku Shariwa, the Mutare City coach, was of the view that they gave the home team too much room in the first half but managed to control proceedings in the second period.
“In the first half we gave them too much space and room in the box and fortunately for them towards the climax of the first stanza, we left the striker unattended to.
We allowed the him to turn inside the box. It’s one of those silly blunders because you are supposed to track man-to-man … in the second half we controlled everything but unfortunately we couldn’t score,” said Shariwa.
Mkhululi Moyo scored the solitary goal a minute into first half optional time when put through by Trevor Ndlovu inside the box.
Mutare City piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser and almost got the goal they craved nine minutes before the end, but Agrippa Murimba’s effort was spilt by the home goalie and the rebound hit the post.
