COSTA STRIKES TO FLOOR SAINTS IN PRAGUE

2411-1-1-COSTA STRIKES1Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor—

ZIMBABWE international Costa Nhamoinesu broke his goal-scoring duck in the UEFA Europa League this season after scoring a beauty at the Generali Arena in Prague last night to condemn English Premiership side Southampton to a 1-0 defeat which left the Saints in danger of elimination at the group stage.The 30-year-old Warriors’ defensive rock, playing his fifth match in the Europa League this season, struck early to settle the nerves for Czech giants Sparta Prague and ensure they top Group K with a round of matches still to play in the campaign.

It was sweet revenge for the Czech side, who were at the end of a 0-3 hammering at the hands of Southampton in the reverse tie at St Mary’s, with Costa one of the fall guys after he was punished for a foul which resulted in a converted penalty for the club from the south coast of England.

After just 11 minutes on the clock last night, Nhamoinesu timed his run perfectly to storm into acres of space down the left channel of the Southampton defence as a ball from a free-kick was swung into the box.

With the ball falling on his cultured left foot, Nhamoinesu struck a beauty to push Sparta Prague into a lead which they defended, for the remaining 79 minutes, for a victory that secures them a place in the next phase of the competition.

After that defeat to Southampton, Sparta Prague have now won four in a row in Europe and appear in good health to repeat their good run last year that took them within touching distance of the Promised Land only for them to fall at the quarter-final stage of the tournament when they were outclassed by Spanish side Villarreal.

Nhamoinesu and his teammates were beaten 1-2 in the first leg of that quarter-final in Spain before being hammered 2-4 in the second leg in their backyard as their run came to a close.

The Zimbabwe international’s good performances in Europe last season convinced the Sparta Prague management to extend his contract, which expired at the end of last season, by another two years.

There were reports that Nhamoinesu had caught the eye of a number of Turkish giants, with other media outlets even speculating he could be on his way to Spanish giants Barcelona but, at the end of the day, he remained in Prague.

He was the subject of a UEFA enquiry last season, in the Europa Cup, after an ugly incident in his club’s home tie against Lazio when visitors of the Italian giants started to racially abuse the Zimbabwean.

Nhamoinesu advised the referee who then stopped the match, to officially lodge a complaint with the UEFA match delegate, before he resumed the tie which Sparta Prague won.

The Czech side had a difficult start to their campaign this season, including that beating at the hands of Southampton, and the club’s leadership decided to wield the axe and dismissed coach Adnek Scasny who was replaced by David Holoubek.

Since then, Sparta Prague have been a revitalised club, especially on the continent, and are showing signs of the quality that took them to the quarter-finals of the Europa Cup last season.

Last night, their hero was Nhamoinesu who continued a remarkable goal-scoring spree for Zimbabweans in the past few days in which the likes of Tendai Ndoro, who is terrorising defences in the ABSA Premiership, Evans Rusike – who scored a screamer from a free-kick this week – and talisman Knowledge Musona have been on target.

Southampton coach Claude Puel had warned that the Czech giants would provide tough opposition for his Premiership side who came into this match bubbling with confidence after picking a point from high-flying Anfield giants Liverpool in a league match in England at the weekend.

“Sparta are a good team with technical players and a good collective. They have another trainer now and he changed, not the system, but a little the philosophy. It’s a strong team, with a strong defensive block and it will be difficult,” Puel told the English media.

“It’s a difficult game, an important game, because if you can take three points it’s important for the squad.”

And while Sparta Prague were expected to score, it’s unlikely many would have predicted that goal would have come from Nhamoinesu.

The Zimbabwean, who plays on the left side of his team’s defence while playing centreback for the Warriors, pinched space down the left channel, in what appeared to be a training ground routine, and was at the right place to meet Bore Dockal’s beautifully-flighted ball and plant it home on the half volley.

Nhamoinesu is expected to play a leading role for the Warriors at the 2017 Nations Cup finals in Gabon.

He has been keeping himself abreast of the events related to the team, even though he missed their last friendly international against Tanzania, with his club saying he was injured.

Before that match, he tweeted to encourage his Warriors.

“Good luck Warriors and #themillionsofzim#one people,” he said on Twitter.

And, after the game, he hailed his team.

“Bravo Warriors. We stay positive #AFCON2017. Every victory counts #onepeople #onesport.”

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey