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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
Black Rhinos ………… (1) 3

Tsholotsho ……………… 0

BLACK RHINOS reclaimed pole position as the 2017 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League reaches the halfway mark in style when they returned to their winning ways with a comprehensive victory over Tsholotsho at Morris Depot yesterday.

The army side concluded the first half of the season leading the pack with 31 points and have a superior goal difference against rivals Ngezi Platinum who faltered to Triangle 1-0 in the Lowveld yesterday.

And Chauya Chipembere’s coach Stanford “Stix” M’tizwa was a happy man yesterday as he saw his charges bouncing back to their winning ways after 270 minutes of football without collecting maximum points. The team lost once and drew twice in their last three outings.

But all that became history yesterday as the Premiership returnees made light work of struggling Tsholotsho with goals from Martin Mine (33rd minute), substitute Salima Yamikani (78th minute) and Lot Chiwunga (87th minute).

“I am happy with the three points. We lost once (against Harare City) and drew twice in our last three games, so I am happy with the three points.

“We are very happy with what we have achieved in the first half of the season but we urge our players to maintain the spirit and composure especially in home games,” M’tizwa said.

The former Black Rhinos skilful midfielder said he is expecting to boost his squad before they can gun for the league title.

Meanwhile, ZPC Kariba beat Hwange 1-0 a well-executed goal by Never Tigere in the 52nd minute enabled ZPC Kariba to “electrocute” the hapless coalminers in this Castle Lager Premier League soccer match at the Colliery yesterday afternoon. The all-important goal was a product of some brilliant individual performance by man-of-the match Samuel Makawa who picked up possession near the centre circle and embarked on a mazy run before laying a sitter for Tigere who obliged by hammering home past an exposed Hwange goalkeeper Taimon Mvula.

Away from the goal, it was ZPC Kariba who started the match with lots of energy and could have wrapped up the match in the opening half as the home side chased shadows during that period.

On the quarter hour mark, striker Daniel Chakupe’s cross from the left flank was met with a flashing header by Makawa but it sailed over the cross bar by a few inches.

Dexter Phiri then failed to be a precise executor three minutes later when he latched on to a Makawa pass inside the box but he could not stab the ball home with goalkeeper Mvula at his mercy. Hwange’s first realistic opportunity of the opening half fell to midfielder Justine Kaunda in the 37th minute as his blistering free-kick from the edge of the box required veteran goal-minder Tendai Hove’s experience as he went airborne to tip it over for a corner.