Monomotapa 1-1 Chicken Inn
TENDAI Ndoro shattered Monomotapa’s dream of collecting maximum points as they battle against relegation with a stunning second half equalizer in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at Gwanzura Stadium on Sunday.
Monomotapa had raced into the lead on 28 minutes through Ronald “Rooney’ Chitiyo who produced a brilliant individual show- weaving his way past a cluster of defenders, in the process leaving defender Charles Mutero sprawling on the turf before drilling the ball past goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni.
With that goal, Monomotapa appeared to be on course to collect maximum points and enhance chances of moving out of the relegation zone.
They took the game to their opponents as they threatened with some fine raids which saw Hillary Mugoniwa and Nelson Meson coming close. They controlled the match throughout the first half.
However, in the second half, the visitors took control of the match but Ndoro conjured up an equaliser reminiscent of the style of former Arsenal great Dennis Bergkamp late on.
Ndoro had his back to goal as he received a pass in the danger zone on 71 minutes, from the right in the 15th minute. He turned sharply and then swivelled to get his foot onto the ball and direct the ball past the bemused Monomotapa goalkeeper Fidias Chifamba.
It was his 15th goal of the campaign and remains the Premiership leading goal scorer.
That goal appeared to have deflated Monomotapa but still they had an opportunity but Chitiyo was guilty of a miss on 78 minutes.
Ndoro later revealed he practices the technique at training.
“It feels good to be scoring in every match. I am enjoying my game. As a target man, I practice this technique at training and I am happy it is working well for me,” he said.
Monomotapa assistant coach Conrad Nyambabvu blamed lack of concentration by his central defenders for the failure to grab maximum points.
“A mistake by our two central defenders cost us maximum points,” said Nyambabvu.
“Chitiyo should also have given us maximum points but missed a very good opportunity. You don’t expect that from a player of his calibre. But we will fight to the bitter end.”
Joey Antipas in charge of his first match since his appointment as Chicken Inn coach said they started slowly but upped their game in the second half.Advertisement

“I am still trying to find my feet but a point away is a good result. We started slowly in the first half. We were slow in transition from back to attack but improved in the second half,” said Antipas.