Zimbabwe Saints fall as Hwange march into Munhumutapa Challenge Cup third round

Hwange FC knocked out Zimbabwe Saints with a 2-1 victory over the weekend to book their place in the third round of the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.

Zimbabwe Saints took the lead early after a miscommunication between Hwange goalkeeper Collen Phiri and his defender. Saints forward Nkosikhona Masumbuka capitalized and gave Zimbabwe Saints the lead.

Hwange looked unsettled in the first half but managed to contain Zimbabwe Saints until the break. The teams went to the locker room with Saints leading 1-0.

In the second half, Coach Njabulo Dube’s side came out a changed team and wasted no time. In the 47th minute, John Chinyerere found the equalizer for the Coalminers.

The game turned into a battle, but Hwange proved to be more organized. They kept winning set pieces just outside the 18-yard box, and it eventually paid off. A set piece was delivered into the box and cleared by Zimbabwe Saints for a corner. From the resulting corner, there was nothing the goalkeeper or defenders could do as the ball dropped at the feet of Tanaka Chivandire, who made no mistake.

Hwange traveled back to the coal mining town smiling as they progressed to the next round of the cup, keeping their unbeaten run from the league to the cup intact. Hwange are currently the log leaders of the Southern Region Division One, having gone 10 games unbeaten with 8 wins and 2 draws. They are yet to lose a game in the Munhumutapa Cup as well.

Speaking after the match, Hwange Head coach Njabulo Dube praised his players for their strong character and fightback.
“I am happy for the team, the supporters, and our fans in Hwange. This win is a motivating factor for the team. We wouldn’t want to lose, because when you lose a game you come under pressure and some of your players also lose focus. For us to come from behind like that was about character. The message to the boys was simple,we have to fight to the last minute,” he said.

Zimbabwe Saints chairman Tawanda Ruzive said the club remained focused on consolidating its position in the Southern Region league.
“We are back, but our immediate focus is to protect our status. We are happy to have participated in the Munhumutapa Tournament because it is a life changing competition where dreams are reshaped and built. We hope to conclude discussions with our sponsor so that we are better prepared for future matches,” he said.

Zifa Munhumutapa Challenge Cup Southern Region third Round fixtures

Imbizo vs Aqua Stars
Jordan vs Nkayi United
Hwange vs Megawatt
Blackrock vs Khami United