Yadah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1

Green Fuels . . . . . . . . . 0

Green Fuels coach Lloyd Mutasa believes his team will challenge for the league title this season despite suffering an opening match defeat at the hands of Yadah in mid-day kick-off at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday.

Mandlenkosi Mlilo’s 10th minute tap in from close range in a crowded box proved the difference in a match in which could have gone either way.

Yadah bossed things in the first half, but the home side had their goalkeeper Panashe Nyabunga to thank for keeping the visiting side at bay in a second half which Mutasa’s men totally dominated.

It is, perhaps, that improved performance in the second stanza of the match that gives the former Dynamos coach hope that his Chisumbanje-based side will be fighting for honours come end of the season.

“This is only, but the first game of the season. We didn’t throw everything that we had planned. We are going to push and we are going to be one of those top teams. We are still sticking with that,” Mutasa said.

The promoted side is one of the well-resourced clubs in the league and had a busy transfer window in which they brought in a number of experienced players, including former Warriors duo of Eric Chipeta and Honest Moyo, who were both involved yesterday. 

Another former Warriors player, Maclive Phiri and veteran striker Ishamel Lawe was also part of the cast for Green Fuels yesterday although they could not inspire their side.

“We had a bad first half in midfield and defense. We gave them a lot of space to manoeuvre hence, they got their goal,” noted Mutasa.

“We came back a better side in the second half, but we couldn’t find the net. It’s some of the grey areas that we need to look going forward. In the second half we never gave them much room to play, but we never gave the front line much support as much as we needed to so we will have to improve on that.”

For Yadah, they are not as ambitious as their opponents yesterday, but their coach Chitukutu was buoyant, saying we will go for the title if our opponents allow us.

“We will take every game as it comes and see where we will be at the end of the season,” said the man who was taking charge of his first match after replacing Genesis Mangombe.

The energy shown by his new look squad left him thrilled.

“I’m very happy to get this result because the youngsters followed our game plan and played with a lot of discipline,” Chitukutu said.

“The major difference between my team and the opponents was movement without the ball.”

Yadah was forced into rebuilding their squad after the departure of a number of players in the transfer window, but the changes were barely noticed as the team kept to their tiki taka' type of football throughout.

Goalscorer Mlilo, who arrived from Ngezi Platinum Stars together with Junior Zindoga were part of five new players that were on the starting lineup for Yadah yesterday.

It was goalkeeper Nyabunga, though, who proved the difference with two top saves early in the second half, including a Bukhosi Sibanda header from point blank range.

Teams

Yadah: P Nyabunga, B Kadamanja, L Mucheto, M Mlilo, L Chome, C Mandivei, J Zindoga, P Kafelapanjila (V Sango, 55'), M Faranando, B Ndereki, M Moffat

Green Fuels: D Bizabani, M Phiri, O Mwerahari, H Moyo, E Chipeta, N Matinha, X Moyo, C Dhuwa, B Sibanda, N Ndlovu, I Lawe