William Manondo bagged a double as Harare City put their league woes aside to thump How Mine 3-1 and bag their second Chibuku Super Cup title at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday.
The result means City have secured the ticket to represent Zimbabwe in the CAF Confederation Cup next year even as they battle to retain their top-flight status going into the last three matches of the season.
The first half was largely lukewarm with both teams shunning risky adventurism for fear of exposing themselves at the back but the game burst into life just after the hour-mark as Manondo scored twice inside two minutes to put City firmly in control.
The 26-year-old forward first beat How Mine goalkeeper Donovan Bernard with a bouncing header from a Martin Vengesai cross as City surged ahead on 63 minutes.
Manondo was again in the right place at the right time moments later to apply a neat finish on a curling cross by Edwin Madhanhanga, who then netted the third for City on 75 minutes to put the contest to bed.
Former Warriors midfielder Peter 'Rio' Moyo pulled one back for How Mine five minutes from time but there was to be no 'Houdini' act for Kevin Kaindu's men, who had gone into the match as slight favourites against desperately inconsistent opponents.
How Mine however squandered some decent chances in the opening stages of the first half and they will be particularly disappointed to have missed out on a huge opportunity for a major title after all the big names had been eliminated in the early rounds.
City will welcome the Chibuku Cup triumph as a massive boost ahead of a tough battle to avoid an embarrassing demotion to the second tier.