Zimbabwe: Shabanie Mine Advance in Sup8r Cup

Mike Madyira

27 June 2011

Shabanie Mine had a dream start to their debut BancABC Sup8r campaign edging Gunners at Ascot yesterday to progress to the last four of the tournament.

An 83rd-minute strike from veteran midfielder Lennon Chisunga was enough to send Shabanie into the semi-finals of the domestic premier knockout competition.

The match seemed headed for a penalty shootout but Chisunga brilliantly volleyed a cross from Smart Muchabaiwa to make the difference.

With no goals coming, Shabanie Mine seemed to panic as Chinda Boys executive member instructed assistant coach Elvis Muuya to make a substitution resulting in Caleb Masocha being pulled off for Solomon Ndlovu.

Having previously won the BP Cup 10 years ago and the OK Woza Bhora Challenge two years later, coach Arnold Jani is confident of claiming a straight domestic knockout title.

“The performance by my guys was good. We won the match in midfield where we did not allow them to play. We were playing a lone striker, probably that is why the goal came late. This means a lot and I am looking forward to lifting the Cup since it is a long time since we last won any Cup, but we take the game as any other game,” Jani said.

Jani won the BP Cup and OK Woza Bhora Challenge with Shabanie as a player.

Gunners George Madira who was standing in for Young Warriors assistant coach Darlington Dodo who is in South Africa blamed his strikers for the numerous chances wasted.

“This was the same old story. We missed many chances which we could have easily converted in the first half, we could have won the match,” Madira said.

Left back Jonathan Chitereki was instrumental in Shabanie Mine’s contest to be duly named the man of the match.

“This was very great from me. I hope to maintain the form but I think I can do much better,” Chitereki said.

The BancABC match which attracted a low turnout was the first high-profile match in Gweru since Shooting Stars dumped Ascot as their homeground in May last year.

The contest started at a slow pace with both sides lacking killer instinct but the first real chance came in the 21st minute when Gunners’ Leopard Fiyado intercepted a goal bound header from his captain Elvis Meleka.

Forceful midfielder Cliff Sekete was to have his shot thwarted by goalie Roy Mazingi nine minutes later.

On the stroke of half-time Sekete arrived late in the box to miss a cross with only keeper Mazingi to beat. Shabanie Mine was more determined in the second half. Madira’s biggest undoing was to pull out Fiyado at half-time for the blunt More Moyo. The first half was punctuated by several injuries to Shabanie Mine players and the medic had a busy afternoon.

Shabanie Mine… (0) 1

Gunners… 0

AllAfrica – All the Time