Dynamos beat CAPS United in Harare derby

Dynamos 1…………………………..CAPS United…………………………..0

There was huge relief for under pressure Dynamos coach Llyod Mutasa as his charges beat Caps United 1-0 at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday. DeMbare down to 10 men scored a last minute stunner via Tawanda Muparati to beat their fierce rivals Makepekepe who are coached by former Dynamos legend Moses Chunga. More on this story follows.

By Augustine Hwata

Its DeMbare who will have the Harare derby bragging rights once again!

Midfielder Tawanda Muparati rose from the bench to sink a late goal, two minutes from time, that gave 10-man Dynamos a sensational victory over bitter rivals CAPS United in a Castle Lager Premiership derby showdown that failed to explode at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Despite all the hype that characterised the build up to the game, both teams appeared to buckle under pressure from the estimated 30 000 crowd that turned out at the giant stadium. With better gate control by CAPS United, who were the home team, many more would not have been frustrated into retreating to their homes.

Some fans even broke down the gates while others scaled the perimeter fence to gain access as CAPS failed to efficiently deal with the fans at the turnstiles. The start of the game was later delayed by more than 15 minutes as the match officials tried to avert a stampede and give more supporters an opportunity to gain access into the stadium.

Chinhoyi referee Pascal Zata made it worse as he needlessly stopped play, disrupting the flow of the game for some challenges that appeared to be 50-50 situations. Zata, who seemed to be as overwhelmed by the game as he was by his big shorts, expelled Martin Vengesayi in the 68th minute for a tackle on CAPS United defender Arnold Chivheya.

CAPS United, however, failed to seize on the chance of numerical advantage. Makepekepe players especially goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda kept pumping long balls into the Dynamos box which were effectively dealt with by George Magariro and his defence.

Earlier in the first half, Zata had shown Vengesayi a yellow card after he went down inside the box from what appeared 50-50 tussle with CAPS United defender Douglas Walaza.

The first yellow card looked like it was a harsh decision against the hard-running striker as he went into a fair challenge for the ball while it was Walaza who tugged the Dynamos striker’s jersey.

But as the dull encounter cantered to what seemed an inevitable draw, it turned on its head, thanks largely to CAPS United left back Arnold Chivheya. Chivheya presented Dynamos with an opportunity when he attempted to play the ball back to Sibanda while Stephen Alimenda was close by.

There was a breakdown in communication between Chivheya, Sibanda and Alimenda and Muparati sneaked in to drill the ball into the net. It was not a classic goal as the ball literally trickled into the net with a CAPS United defender chasing its shadow.

But how it went into the net will not be much of a bother to under-pressure coach Lloyd Mutasa as it was the victory and the three points, which mattered most to the lanky coach. The wild manner in which Mutasa and the Dynamos bench joined the on-field players in celebrating Muparati’s goal told a story of a coach and a team that badly needed a win.

Muparati had come on for the injured but otherwise out of sorts Denver Mukamba in the 55th minute. The Dynamos fans went into a delirium as they were certain once again that they have got the bragging rights while CAPS United fans appeared as if they had just been swept off by a tsunami.

Dynamos had also beaten their rivals in the 3-2 in the Bob ’87 Super Cup in February at Rufaro. Zata also flashed yellow cards on the CAPS United duo of Nyasha Mukumbi and Evans Gwekwerere while Archie Gutu was also cautioned, as the referee battled to control the tension filled derby.

Both teams hurried their passes and ended up losing possession while the players from both ends took turns to make a mess from the dead ball situations. Gutu wasted from a scoring position when he directed his effort straight at Sibanda in the fifth minute while Guthrie Zhokinyi blasted his effort onto the CAPS United defensive wall in the 12th minute.

DeMbare put more pressure on CAPS United in the first quarter while the Green Machine tried to get their breakthrough from on counter attacks. Dynamos midfielder Gutu brought down CAPS striker Washington Pakamisa outside the box and up-stepped giant goalkeeper Sibanda who sent his powerful effort over Washington Arubi’s goal.

The dull encounter was often characterised by stray passes and players lunging at each other to win possession. In probably one of their best moves of the afternoon, CAPS United came charging with Warriors right back Gilbert Mapemba passing to Malvern Samaneka, whose cross failed to find Simba Sithole who was lurking in the box in the 30th minute.

Veteran midfielder Murape Murape calmed the nerves of his teammates with a mature display and in one of his raids, he spotted Vengesayi, who miscued his 35th minute effort with Sibanda on the wrong g side of action. Rodrick Mutuma gave the Dynamos fans hope in the 43rd minute when he got to the end of pass from David Kutyauripo but the striker was adjudged to be in an off-side position.

Dynamos lost Kutyauripo through a knee injury while the introduction of Evans Gwekwerere caused some anxious moments for the DeMbare defence in the second half. Simba Sithole was given little space to breathe while DeMbare were content to defend after they were a man down. They pulled out Gutu – an offensive player – for defensive linkman Makopa.

But just when it seemed a draw would be a fair result, the football gods had other ideas and for all its failure to live up to its billing, the derby still produced a winner and and it was the blue half of the capital that were left singing and dancing in joy. To their credit, the CAPS United fans, for once, accepted defeat and didn’t hurl insults or abuse at their coach Moses Chunga.

TEAMS:

CAPS United

E. Sibanda, A. Chivheya, D. Walaza, N. Makumbi, P. Tarirenyika, G. Mapemba, W. Pakamisa, S. Simba, S. Alumenda, F. Adu (J. Lupahla 80th min), M. Samaneka (E. Gwekwerere 58th min)

Dynamos

W. Arubi, D. Kutyauripo (T. Mamvura 63rd min) T. Magorimbo, G. Magariro, D. Mukamba (T. Muparati 55th min) D. Chafa, M. Murape, G. Zhokinyu, A. Gutu, M. Vengesayi, R. Mutuma.

Results at glance

Sunday

CAPS United 0, Dynamos 1, Highlanders 0, Hwange 1

Saturday

FC Platium 2, Kiglon 0, Black Mambas 5, Shabanie Mine 5, Zimbabwe Saints 2, Shooting Stars 2, Chicken Inn 0, Monomotapa 0, Motor Action 1, Masvingo 1, Gunners 1, Blue Ribbon 1.