Milton Mashasha Sports Reporter in Byo, Zim.
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (News of The South) – The sole ZIMBABWEAN representative in the CAF Champions League tournament FC Platinum were booted out 4-5 on penalties by the Angolans Grupo Desportivo Sagrada Esperan¢a after the match ended nil all in regulation time,in the first round of the second leg which was played yesterday afternoon at the giant National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe.
In their first leg encounter away in Angola both teams failed to score,carrying a nil all record to yesterday’s match.It was a balanced affair with both teams getting a lions share in that pendulum situation but failed to burry chances that came on their way.
The Zvishavane based outfit FCP hoped to go past the first round stage and at least reach the Mini league stage which had eluded them since their debut in the African topflight Safari but all went into smoke.
FC Platinum nearly broke the dead lock in the first half when the FC Platinum winger Gift Bweti’s well taken shot crashed against the cross bar to deny the host a deserved lead with the Grupo Desportivo Sagrada Esperan¢a goalminder Lunda Lunganga went agony airborne trying to save the goal only to thank the cross bar.
The Platinum miners failed to utilize the home advantage to break the solid Grupo Despoortivo Sagrada Esperan¢a defense which kept the FC Platinum forwards at bay,restricting them from entering their 18yards box or even getting neat through pass balls from the midfield. They guarded their goal line jealously,cutting all dangerous raids and balls into their goal area.
The Angolans played a frustrating positional attacking football capitalising from an FCP false right back who moved too deep when the host where in attack.The GD Sagrada nearly broke the FCP hearts and the Zimbabweans soccer loving fans when their skipper Petros Mhari who is also their goalkeeper came out of his goal line area to narrow the angle on an one on one situation with the Angolan Sagrada striker who lobbed the ball only to watch in disbelief as his effort crashed against the cross bar with the withdrawn skipper sprawling on the ground.It was a relief to Petros Mhari who was clearly beaten.
It was a miss of the day 2 minutes before fulltime when their reliable former South African DSTV Boroka forward Rodwell Chinyengetere got a well threaded pass from the hardworking Donald Ngoma who muscled past two GD Sagrada defenders and then layed the ball to the former only to shoot straight to the goalkeeper with the goal widely yawning. Landu Langanga perried the ball into the path of Rodwell but the rebound was very weak,it was an easy catch for Langanga the visitors goalminder.
The match ended in a nil all scoreline and they went straight to the lottery where the FC Platinum first spotkick which was taken by Rodwell Chinyengetere was easily perried safely out by Landu Langanga and the Angolans went on to convert all the five spotkicks with FC Platinum scoring their remaining four but to no avail. They lost the match in an unfashionable way.The spot kick is anyone’s game,it’s a wait again for FC Platinum for another chance to break the jinx to reach at least to the Mini league phase.
Comments
About Author
