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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
Starbill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1
DC Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0)2
STARBILL coach Patson Muzavazi was left a disappointed man yesterday when his side gave up a half-time lead to go down to DC Academy at Gwanzura in the World Navi Northern Region Division One soccer league.

But the weekend belonged to log leaders Gunners, who powered to a 1-0 win over Flame Lily at Lafarge in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday to stretch their lead to four points.

Gunners came into this match needing maximum points as a defeat to the prison officers would have seen them dropping into second place.
And coach Kuda Masaraure showed real character to win a game they dominated in the backyard of their biggest rivals.

Yesterday, Starbill took the lead in the 41st minute when they were awarded a penalty after DC Academy’s Knowledge Machona handled the ball inside a congested box.

And Tapiwa Mangezi took the penalty to power his side into the lead.
However, DC Academy made a strong comeback in the last half with coach Newton Chitewe making a double substitution nine minutes in the second half.
And it paid off as Hillary Chombe, who came in for Tatenda Hapazari, scored a brace.

Chombe’s first goal came in the 73rd minute from a long shot outside the box that caught Starbill goalkeeper Libat Sibanda off guard for the equaliser.
The DC Academy midfielder was not yet done as he found the target again three minutes into time added on when Sibanda punched the ball back into play from Melvin Mukiwa’s cross.

This left Muzavazi and his charges devastated as they really needed a win after a 1-3 loss to Black Mambas in their previous game.
Muzavazi, who took over from Lloyd Chitembwe in August, said there is a lot of work to be done as some of the key players left the club.

The Starbill coach has won just one match out of the five he has been in charge of.
“The guys played very well, it’s only that we had a lapse in concentration in defence which saw us conceding goals.

“The first goal our goalkeeper was guarding the wrong line.
“So with these youngsters, we are trying to regroup. Some of them did not do pre-season training, so we are trying to make things happen,” said Muzavazi.
Chitewe was pleased with yesterday’s result as he hailed his charges for a good performance.

“I think it was a matter of patience, that’s why we scored. We kept on playing and it really worked for us.
“And they (Starbill) relaxed when they scored that goal, they wanted to defend, then I forced more men to go forward.

“There were also some loopholes in their side and I made some tactical changes,” Chitewe said.

Results:
ZRP Morris 1, Karoi 1; Flame Lilly 0, Gunners 1; Mushowani 2, Royal Classic 1; Blue Swallows 0, Seven Flames 0; DStv Rangers 1, Twalumba 0; Commando 1, Bindura 0; Starbill 1, DC Academy 2;
Chegutu 1, Black Mambas 1; Lake Harvest 1 ,Ngezi Platinum 2.