There were wins for FC Platinum and Howmine while Triangle and Black Rhinos settled for a draw in Sunday matches of matchday 7 in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

FC Platinum Still Unbeaten

FC PLATINUM finally remembered how to win when they dismissed Hwange in a tightly-contested Castle Lager Premiership soccer match at Maglas.

A 77th minute penalty awarded to the hosts and converted by veteran midfielder Winston Mhango made all the difference.

Mapeza and his team are now on second place and only a point separates them with Ngezi Platinum Stars although the Zvishavane-based team have a game in hand against Ngezi.

FC Platinum came into Sunday’s match having drawn their last three games.

Coach Norman Mapeza’s charges drew away to Bulawayo City before settling for a home draw against Triangle. They later went on to lose two valuable points against Black Rhinos on Tuesday last week.

The victory silenced a section of the home team’s fans who are against the coach and were planning to stage a demonstration on the newly-appointed Warriors gaffer.

Winstone Mhango scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after Gift Mbweti, a former Hwange marksman was hacked down inside the box.

Hwange coach Nation Dube was not happy with the match officials and fumed after the match.

“I did not lose the match to FC Platinum but I have lost it to the referee. I believe a draw was the fairest result. Otherwise I am happy with the performance of my boys as they played well and according to my instructions,” Dube said.

Mapeza was happy at collecting the three points but admitted that the match was tough.

“It was a difficult match and my guys worked very hard for the victory. We need to stay focused but my main worry is that we are missing chances.

“It is very difficult to get goals and you can see that most of the teams in the Premiership are winning by just a single goal. As FC Platinum we are creating chances but we are failing to score,” said Mapeza.

FC Platinum next match will be against gold miners How Mine in a double header scheduled for Saturday in Bulawayo.

Home Win Elusive For Triangle

TRIANGLE once again failed to utilise home advantage after they were held to a draw by a 10-man Black Rhinos in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Gibbo.

A home win has been elusive for the home side since the start of the season for Taurai Mangwiro whose side is heavily sponsored by Tongaat Hullet.

Rhinos dominated the proceedings in the first half with their sporadic raids and were duly rewarded in the 32nd minute through the boot of Milton Kureva who connected home a perfectly weighed cross from Wonder Kapinda after Triangle defender Derwin Phiri was beaten on the left side to send the few travelling fans into frenzy.

Mangwiro was forced to make an injury inspired substitution in the 41st minute, pulling out Ralph Kawondera for Benson Maglas.

The home side shot-stopper Ronald Mudimu was exposed throughout the match but he stood tall to keep the home side in the game.

Triangle had to react and piled pressure on the visitors in the second half and Rhinos finally succumbed to pressure and defender Farai Banda had to play the goalkeeper’s role in the 79th minute when he tipped Hardlife Mavhundi’s effort over bar.

Banda was shown a straight red card as the referee pointed to the spot and Triangle’s penalty specialist Mudimu made no mistake as he coolly slotted the ball past Herbet Rusawo to draw level for the home side.

Mangwiro said after the match: “We had to respond after Rhinos took the lead very early, but now we require a lot of work not only from Mangwiro but from the entire team.

“Our performance was not good today, we played better football against Bulawayo City and today we were looking at collecting maximum points but sometimes we might have a bad start with a happy ending,” he said.

His opposite number Stanford “Stix” M’tizwa said they needed maximum points. “We needed maximum points after we drew at home last week, it’s like two points lost rather than a point gained because we came here looking for maximum points at all cost,’’ he said.

Howmine Brush Aside Chicken Inn

HOW Mine continued their steady rise on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table by registering their fourth consecutive victory after dismissing Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium.

The gold miners’ victory moved them to third place on the league table tied on 13 points with leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars and second-placed Highlanders.

Defender Kudzai Chideu scored How Mine’s priceless goal in the 42nd minute, three minutes after the gold miners had been reduced to 10 men when referee Hardly Ndazi flashed a second yellow card to Pasca Manhanga.

However, How Mine, who dominated the first half, refused to be cowed by Chicken Inn and went ahead after the Gamecocks’ left-back Divine Lunga brought down Adolf Muganyi near the corner flag.

Milton Ncube then took the resultant free kick, sending a cross which Chicken Inn goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze failed to deal with leaving Chideu to easily head in.

How Mine coach Kelvin Kaindu was elated with the victory.

“This is what we desperately wanted because last season we lost many points during derbies. We wanted the points and I’m happy that we’re joint leaders. We had a slow start to the season, but I’m happy with our progress,” said Kaindu.

The miners enjoyed superior ball possession in the first half, but rarely troubled goalkeeper Chipezeze.

Chicken Inn looked dangerous on the break and in the 27th minute How Mine goalkeeper Donovan Bernard pulled an impressive save to deny Nicholas Muchadeyi a goal.

Ten minutes later, Chicken Inn striker Thomas Kadyaridzire’s header off an Obidiah Tarumbwa cross hit the upright.

Chicken Inn returned fired up after the break, but found the How Mine defence resolute.

Chicken Inn’s efforts to draw level were dealt a body blow in the 59th minute when Lunga was sent off for fouling Muganyi.

With the numbers level, it was Chicken Inn who created better scoring chances, which they, however, fluffed with Ishmael Lawe missing glorious opportunities in the 63rd and 84th minutes.

The miss of the day fell to How Mine striker Nqobile Ndlovu, who hit an air shot with the goal yawning after being set through by Kuda Musharu following a quick counterattack in the 64th minute.

Chicken Inn coach Rahman Gumbo said: “A draw would have been a fair result, but I’m disappointed with my goalkeeper who made a stupid blunder that cost us the game.”

PSL Match Day Seven Results

Saturday: ZPC Kariba 2-0 Bulawayo City, Tsholotsho FC 0-1 Harare City, Ngezi Platinum 1-0 Shabanie Mine, Chapungu 0-0 Highlanders, Bantu Rovers 7-2 Yadah FC

Sunday: Chicken Inn 0-1 How Mine, FC Platinum 1-0 Hwange, Triangle United 1-1 Black Rhinos

POSTPONED: Dynamos v Caps United (TBA)