The Sunday Mail
Simba Chiminya in Gweru
Chapungu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 3
Border Strikers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
Chapungu completed a double over Border Strikers courtesy of a 3-0 victory at Ascot stadium yesterday. Aleck Marime, who was registered during the window, grabbed a brace while veteran Philip Marufu weighed in with the other goal. The match looked like it was headed for a dull goalless draw up until the 60th minute when Marime grabbed the opener with a thumping header off a Jamseon Mukombwe cross.
Marufu then headed in the second, off a Hillary Mugoniwa corner kick, in the 81st minute.
Marime completed his brace on the stroke of fulltime; stealing the ball from a Border Striker defender before slotting the ball past an outdrawn Talent Sande.
An ecstatic Chapungu coach Jonh Nyikadzino taunted Border strikers after the victory.
“Before the game people were talking about Border Strikers going to shock us and they indeed shocked us 3-0,” said Nyikadzino.
“The substitutions we made in the second half swayed the match in our favour as those that came on added some dimension,’’ he said Nyikadzino.
Border strikers coach Never Malunga was disappointed with the result.
“We are very disappointed because we really wanted to win this game,” said Malunga.
”We contained them in the first half, but allowed them to get that goal and it changed everything,’’ he said.
The first half was lukewarm as chances were few.
Chapungu relied on long balls but the Border Strikers defence led by Michael Variso and Ephraim Mwinga repelled them.
Mwinga nearly gifted the home side, with a goal, when he miscued his clearance but an alert Talent Sande, in goal for Border Strikers, pushed it out for a corner.
Chapungu continued pumping long balls forward but without threatening much.
Strikers, who seemed content with soaking the pressure, took the game to their opponents in the last stages of first half with Farai Mususunye testing Roy Mazingi with a long range shot in the 40th minute.
Mususunye, who was signed from Midlands State University during the transfer window, returned a minute later with another shot which was tipped over the bar by Mazingi.
Strikers continued with their momentum in the second half, with Clever Mutendebvure combining well with Mususunye up front. The duo started opening the Chapungu defence, but without getting into final third.
Teams
Chapungu: R. Mazingi, J. Mabugu (J. Mukombwe 36), H. Mugoniwa, B. Mbavarira, B. Zabula, T. Mombeshora, F. Bushiri, A. Peperere (P. Khumbula), C. Kapupurika (A. Tavarwisa 57), A. Marime, P. Marufu
Border Strikers: T. Sande, S. Mazumba, E. Mwinga, M. Variso, G. Mukambi, T. Mugadzaweta (H. Chikosha 50), C. Mutendebvure, T. Kalunga, K. Kwashi, L. Genti, F. Mususunye (M. Chirape 65)
