Rest Mutore, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN footballers in the Absa Premiership shone in midweek fixtures with most of them posting top performances for their respective teams.
Coaches in the same league, Norman Mapeza and Kaitano Tembo, also had good day in offices with their teams.
Mapeza’s Chippa United beat Black Leopards 2-1 on Wednesday as his side scored right from kick off and at the end of the match.
Warriors defender Kevin Moyo, who also plays for Chilli Boys, played the whole match.
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Mapeza, who has done well so far since taking over, attributed the win to hard work by his boys.
“It’s all about hard work, the boys now start to believe that if you keep working hard everything will fall into place. That is what is keeping us going at the moment,” Mapeza told the media.
“It was a difficult game; football sometimes is not easy. I am happy for the boys. We kept on going, I think in the last ten minutes I just said look if we can’t get that goal a draw is okay for us. We are happy we managed to get three points away from home . . . we have to keep pushing,” he said.
The same day Warriors and SuperSport United forwards Kudakwashe Mahachi and Evans Rusike helped their Zimbabwean coach Kaitano Tembo earn a point as they settled for a 2-2 draw against Maritzburg United.
Mahachi scored two minutes into the game as his side went to the break leading 1-0.
Maritzburg equalised in the 56th minute before Rusike rose from the bench in the 73rd minute to restore the lead.
And when the Zimbabwean trio appeared to be going for three points, Maritzburg – former home to Rusike – were awarded a penalty to force a draw.
In another match played on Wednesday, Danny Phiri played 65 minutes for Golden Arrows as they beat Elvis Chipezeze’s Baroka 1-0
Talent Chawapiwa rose from the bench in the 63rd minute replacing Lehlohonolo Majoro as Amazulu played to a 2-2 draw against Cape Town City.
Kaizer Chiefs captain Willard Katsande played the whole match to help his side beat Highlands Park 3-0 to extend their lead at the top of the standings to six points.
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Tendai Ndoro started for Highlands, who are sixth on the standings.
In other Premiership matches played on Tuesday, Polokwane City’s duo of George Chigova and Charlton Mashumba – who were all in action – were on the losing end as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates.
Ovidy Karuru made his debut for Stellenbosch as they lost 2-1 to Bloemfontein Celtic.
– HMETRO
