By Kuchineyi Lewis
Shesham FC showed grit, patience, and tactical discipline to come from behind and snatch a dramatic 2-1 win over Tongogara in a tightly contested Central Region Soccer League encounter on Saturday.
Shesham coach Prince Matore was full of praise for his players’ composure under pressure, especially after a difficult first half that saw them trail 1-0.
“What was important was the patience from the players and the discipline.
“That helped us to collect points. Today we sleep happy, tomorrow we focus on the next match,” said Matore after the match.
Tongogara looked dominant in the opening stages, launching wave after wave of attack. Their breakthrough came in the 14th minute when Peace Mwanza rose highest to convert a corner kick with a powerful header, giving the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead.
The home side continued to dictate the tempo, with Michael Zimba proving a handful for the visitors’ defence.
Despite the early dominance, Shesham weathered the storm, thanks in part to their goalkeeper’s alert saves and a defensive line that slowly found its rhythm.
The second half saw a reversal of fortunes as Shesham returned with renewed energy and quickly turned up the heat. Roy Useni tested the Tongogara keeper with a curler in the 55th minute, and substitute Leonard Jani added fresh legs to the visitors’ midfield.
After sustained pressure, Shesham found the equaliser from a set piece before completing the comeback with a powerful header from a corner in the 88th minute, stunning the home crowd and sealing all three points.
Tongogara coach Muzerengi Knowledge was left ruing missed chances and second-half lapses.
“I told my guys, the first 5 to 15 minutes in the second half, let’s not get relaxed. For sure, some seconds in, they equalised,” he lamented.
He admitted that injuries and fatigue forced several substitutions that failed to hold off the surging Shesham attack.
“My defenders let me down… and even the goalkeeper failed to adjust to the crosses and set pieces,” he added.
The loss will sting for 10th placed Tongogara, who were vibrant and full of promise in the first half but were ultimately undone by Shesham’s tactical patience and second-half discipline now sitting 3 points afloat second placed competitor and title contender, Hardrock FC.
