NORMAN Mapeza announced his return to the FC Platinum technical engine room with a bang when he engineered victory over hosts Costa do Sol in the Total Caf Champions League preliminary round first leg encounter at Zimpeto Stadium, in Maputo yesterday.
The score line though does not do justice to the total dominance of the game by the Zvishavane based football side, especially in the middle of the park where Mapeza threw in no nonsense hardmen, Tawana Chikore, debutant Brian Banda, goal scorer Ralph Kawondera and the general himself Kevin Madzongwe. Kawondera struck in the 70th minute with a header following a horseman job by Madzongwe, who under normal circumstances should be Zimbabwe’s number one hardman.
The visitors somehow found themselves level just at the end of regulation time and everyone in the Zimbabwean camp, was probably content with a draw, on the road but little did they know that unheralded Elias Magura had other ideas.
In a moment of individual brilliance, right from the centre circle Magura spotted goalkeeper Isaq Gvambo off his line, turned to his left, perhaps to deceive the keeper and in a flash, let loose a volley. The rest was and remains history.
“It’s a great result, personally I would have been content with a draw but well the boys gave me a victory, we now look forward to the return leg,” said an excited Mapeza.
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