Mavhunga stars as Yadah bounce back HAPPY FAMILY . . . Yadah Stars owner and technical adviser Prophet Walter Magaya blesses his goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube amid a wave of celebrations at Morris Depot yesterday following their thumping victory over Triangle. — (Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda)
HAPPY FAMILY . . . Yadah Stars owner and technical adviser Prophet Walter Magaya blesses his goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube amid a wave of celebrations at Morris Depot yesterday following their thumping victory over Triangle. — (Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda)

HAPPY FAMILY . . . Yadah Stars owner and technical adviser Prophet Walter Magaya blesses his goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube amid a wave of celebrations at Morris Depot yesterday following their thumping victory over Triangle. — (Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda)

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
Yadah Stars . . . . . . . . .. . . . . (1) 3
Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

TEENAGE forward Leeroy Mavhunga responded to his surprise omission from the provisional Warriors squad for the 2019 Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia next month with a double strike as Yadah Stars ended a wretched run of four losses on the trot with an emphatic victory at Morris Depot yesterday.

The 18-year-old, who is set for an attachment spell at European champions Real Madrid, has been probably been the stand-out player of the Castle Lager Premiership in his first season in the top-flight league.

And, with his team badly needing victory yesterday, Mavhunga played the leadership role with a brace in the second half of a match which, for the first time since Yadah Stars’ promotion into the Premiership, attracted the presence of club owner Prophet Walter Magaya.

Magaya has been unhappy, of late, with his men’s questionable application suggesting some of them had let the success of their first few games get into their heads and lost their way.

The prophet revealed last week he refused to pray for his team and questioned why most of the players and coaching staff were no longer coming for services at the ministry.

Coach Jairos Tapera revealed yesterday that he had to humble himself and ask the prophet to help them, rather than abandon them, and attributed that to their success against Triangle.

“Eventually I had to call my prophet. I had to go and ask Prophet Magaya to come and help us and give us everything so that we can restart and do what we did in the earlier games. “He is our father, the owner of the club and the prophet of this team. His presence here today inspired us,” he said.

Tapera said they deserved the three points. “If we had utilised our chances we could have even scored more goals. I am happy with the boys, I am happy with the supporters.’’

The Triangle defence had not breached in more than 180 minutes of football before yesterday’s game. Magaya, who also doubles as the technical adviser, made a grand entrance ten minutes before full time.

He briefly had a photo shoot with the team after the match and immediately left.

The hosts could even have won by a bigger margin on an afternoon where Angolan Paulo Borges gave a glimpse of how good a player he is by creating a number of chances for Yadah.

Mavhunga was full of running and was behind the first goal in the 27th minute when his cross was headed into the nets by Guthrie Zhokinyu as he tried to pass back to his goalkeeper Ronald Mudimu.

The former Marlborough High student then grabbed his first in the 57th minute when he turned the ball in from the left and added his second in the 73rd minute, when he converted a penalty after fellow attacker Johannes Sibanda was brought down in the box.

The visitors were reduced to ten men four minutes before stoppage time after referee Thabani Bamala expelled Triangle forward Courage Denias for elbowing defender Jimmy Dzingai in an off-the-ball incident.

Coach Taurai Mangwiro said his men shot themselves in the foot.

“It was one game which we presented to them on a platter. We gifted them with an own goal after a mix-up. We thought we would regroup but it was always difficult for us. “It is not like we have suddenly become a bad team and we can quickly bounce back against CAPS United,” said Mangwiro.

Teams

Yadah Stars: T. Dube, M. Demera, M. Musiyakwi, J. Dzingai, R. Dongo, B. Mapfumo, W. Kamudyariwa, E. Kalembo, L. Mavunga (D. Savanhu 90th min), P. Borges, J. Sibanda.

Triangle: R. Mudimu, D. Dzvinyai, R. Kawondera, R. Mhlanga, K. Chigwida, G. Zhokinyu, T. Huwa, R. Madamombe, S. Makoni (J. Chivasa 70th min), L. Nhamo, C. Denias.

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