By Kuchineyi Lewis
Ascot Stadium was the stage for a classic Division One encounter as Chapungu FC came from behind to draw 2-2 with visiting Shabanie Mine FC, in a match that truly was a tale of two halves.
Down 2-1 at the break, it was Chapungu’s head coach Tawanda Marimo’s rousing halftime team talk and tactical reshuffle that turned the tide, helping the hosts snatch a deserved point in a spirited second-half resurgence.
The visitors took an early lead in the 17th minute through a moment of brilliance on the right flank.
Winger Mathew Tembo sliced through the Chapungu defence with a dazzling run before delivering a pinpoint cross that found left-back Tapfuma Edward who ghosted into the box unmarked and volleyed home with precision to give Shabanie the lead.
Just a minute later, Tilbert was brought down at the edge of the box, earning Shabanie a dangerous free kick. Though nothing came of it, the visitors’ dominance was clear.
Chapungu found a lifeline in the 29th minute. Striker Frankson Bushiri pounced on a defensive lapse to draw the hosts level and send the home crowd into a frenzy. But the joy was short-lived.
In the 42nd minute, Shabanie struck again after a shot from Mufaro Moyo took a wicked deflection off a Chapungu defender, wrong-footing the keeper and nestling into the net. The Zvishavane side went into the halftime break with a 2-1 advantage.
It was in the dressing room, however, that the match began to shift. According to assistant coach Tafadzwa Mombeshora, it was Marima’s impassioned talk and tactical changes that inspired a different Chapungu in the second half.
“The head coach, Marima, had a very big talk with the guys during halftime.
“He did some tactical changes which improved our game. The substitutes, especially Alan and the young men, really contributed well,” Mombeshora said.
Indeed, Chapungu returned for the second stanza with renewed purpose and intensity. The midfield was more organized, pressing higher, and dictating play.
Their efforts were rewarded in the 77th minute when Sausani Mudimba rose above the Shabanie defense to nod home a superb header, restoring parity and igniting the home crowd once more.
Shabanie, who had controlled the first half with greater possession and attacking threat, struggled to maintain their dominance.
Head coach Andrew Chisunga admitted his side failed to manage the pressure in the second half.
“We just lost concentration in the last minutes, but I’m proud of the boys.
“Chapungu is not a small team. We tried to manage the game, but it’s football. We’ll take the point,” Chisunga said.
The result leaves both teams with lessons to take into their next fixtures — for Chapungu, a show of grit and tactical adaptability; for Shabanie, a reminder of the importance of focus over 90 minutes.
But for the fans at Ascot, it was a thrilling afternoon of football, a game of two halves where drama, tactical brilliance, and raw passion combined to serve up a spectacle.
