The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MANICA Diamonds coach, Johanisi Nhumwa was left disappointed after his team salvaged a point against Premiership newcomers, Cranborne Bullets in the Chibuku Super Cup Group Three second round encounter played at Sakubva Stadium today.
The result meant that Cranborne Bullets collected four points from head-to-head clashes against the Gem Boys after the Harare army outfit overpowered the Mutare side 1-0 in the reverse fixture.
With four points out of a possible 12, Manica Diamonds remain rooted at the basement of the four-team log.
Nhumwa said: “I am really disappointed with this result. We came here gunning for maximum points to put our campaign back on track, but somehow we could not do that.
“We conceded a silly goal and that cost us three points. The way we conceded that goal is least expected of a top-flight league side,” said Nhumwa.
He, however, expressed confidence that they will be able to collect maximum points in the remaining two group stage matches.
His Cranborne Bullets opposite number, Nisbert ‘Yabo’ Saruchera said: “We played Manica Diamonds before and we managed to beat them. We came here with the aim of winning, but somehow the point we managed to collect is still okay. We are still hopeful that we will progress to the next stage of the competition.”
Meanwhile, in the day’s other match played at the same venue, debutants Tenax fell to morale-sapping 2-0 defeat at the hands of army outfit Black Rhinos.
Following an unconvincing start to the campaign, the two Mutare-based teams are now in danger of missing out on the quarter-final slots of the competition if they do not pull up their socks.
