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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter 

TROJAN STARS coach Clifford Sakala has been blown away after his side completed the Northern Region Division One Soccer League’s Axis Solutions semi-final line-up with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Commando Bullets at Trojan Stadium on Sunday. 

Former Dynamos striker Quality Kangadzi slotted a first-half penalty and Brian Munhumanzi equalised for the guests moments into the second half before Muchapuya Dunga secured the win for the hosts. 

The Bindura-based side join Simba Bhora, Herentals Under-20 and Golden Eagles in the last four of the US$20 000-rich tournament. 

They will face Golden Eagles on Sunday while Simba Bhora and Herentals, who secured their spots last week, face-off in the other semi-final on Saturday. 

Eagles progressed via a 1-0 win over Ngezi Platinum Under-19 at Baobab on Saturday. 

And Trojan Stars were made to sweat for victory on Sunday but still managed to squeeze a result that was celebrated across the mining town. The visitors controlled the initial stages of the game with the rapid Pride Mukombwe especially impressive on the flank. 

But for their possession dominance, the army side could not put together any meaningful scoring chances. 

Instead it was Trojan Stars who, in one of their erratic charges at opposition goal, got a penalty after Commando Bullets goalkeeper Shepherd Sikochi was adjudged to have fouled Kangadzi inside the box.

Kangadzi dusted himself up before clipping the penalty home. 

Commando Bullets tried to come back into the match but the hosts kept it tight at the back up to the interval. The visitors came back from the break strongly and started to bombard the opponents’ area and were duly rewarded when Munhumanzi flicked a header past the bewildered Trojan goalie Alex Bakacheza to level the scores. 

They should have surged ahead but missed some clear-cut chances before Dunga headed home the winner for Trojan. 

And Sakala is still celebrating the milestone while preparing for their clash against Eagles on Sunday.  “We are happy to have won this tight contest. It was a tough match but we managed to hold our own,” he said. 

“We are already looking forward to our semi-final clash against Golden Eagles which will not be a walk in the park. But look, we are fancying our chances.

“As a coach, I am very happy to have led my team into the last four. It was a match of wits and we prevailed as a club. I salute my lads. We are already preparing for the weekend fixture.”

The Axis Solutions Super 8 is being contested for by the Northern Region Division One Soccer League’s top eight clubs at the half-way mark of the season.