Dynamos shoot down Stars in Mbada Cup

From Augustine Hwata in Zvishavane

Dynamos………………………………(2) 3

Shooting Stars………………………….. 0

Dynamos silenced all their critics, who had been saying they can’t win outside Harare this season, with a vintage first half show that was at the heart of their comprehensive win at Maglas yesterday that swept them into the Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-finals.

The Glamour Boys had struggled outside the capital all year, losing in Masvingo and in Bulawayo against Zimbabwe Saints, and being held by Chicken Inn, Highlanders and Shabanie Mine on the last occasion they played on this turf.

But Callisto Pasuwa and his men found their touch, when they needed it most, and destroyed Shooting Stars to take their goal tally, in their last two matches, to half-a-dozen after scoring three in their league victory against Highlanders.

DeMbare are set to come here in Week 29 of the league championship race, for what many believe could be a championship decider against FC Platinum at Mandava, and yesterday they gave the residents of this mining town a glimpse of what lies in store for them when the Glamour Boys return.

Ironically, yesterday’s win also set up a Dynamos/FC Platinum semi-final date in the Mbada Diamonds Cup with the initial indications showing that it could be staged at Barbourfields with Motor Action taking on Zimbabwe Saints at Sakubva.

Dynamos took control in the first half where they struck two goals through midfielder Tawanda Muparati and in-form striker Rodrick Mutuma.

Despite taking their foot off the pedal in the second half, DeMbare still managed to add to their goal tally when substitute Denver Mukamba scored from the penalty spot in the 77th minute to effectively kill any little hopes the Wild Boys had entertained of getting back into the game.

Muparati pushed Dynamos ahead as early as the second minute when he finished off a move, striking home from just inside the box, after the Shooting Stars defence had failed to decisively clear the danger.

Cuthbert Malajila initiated the move when he sent the ball from the left channel and Shooting Stars defender Charles Mutero blocked it but it rolled into the path of Archie Gutu, who opened fire, but was also blocked.

Blessing Mazorodze plunged into the action, trying to whip the ball away from danger, but it was Muparati who made the decisive touch and fired from just around the penalty spot to beat Wild Boys’ goalkeeper George Brown.

To their credit, Shooting Stars refused to surrender and James Chitereki’s pressure forced Dynamos defender Guthrie Zhokiniyi, to concede a corner kick on the left.

But Dynamos controlled large parts of the first half and Mutuma doubled their lead in the 35th minute after the Glamour Boys found space on the right flank where George Karimupfumbi was exposed.

The defender struggled for pace and fitness and at one point resorted to wrestling, as he pulled down Gutu, to earn himself a yellow card. Mutuma’s goal deflated the Wild Boys, whose best chances earlier in the match had fallen to Chitereki, who had been left unattended to receive the ball outside the box and pull the trigger in the 17th minute.

Former Dynamos midfielders, Eddie Mashiri and the veteran Elliot Matsika, tried to control the midfield but were found lacking on the final delivery. The second half was a rather drab affair as Shooting Stars appeared to give up the fight while Dynamos lost the rhythm they had in the first period.

However, the introduction of Denver Mukamba for the ineffective Wonder Sithole brought life into the Glamour Boys again.

And when impact player Martin Vengesayi also came in, with his searing pace, there was a feeling the deal had been done and when Brown fouled him inside the box, referee Nkosana Nduna gave DeMbare the penalty.

Mukamba stepped up to score the third. Shooting Stars’ coach Jostein Mathuthu conceded that the loss had shattered their confidence and it will complicate their fight against relegation.

“After we conceded that early goal it seemed the guys were ready to surrender the game. I don’t know why they believe that once Dynamos have taken the lead then DeMbare have won the game. It will be difficult to motivate ourselves in the fight against relegation but we remain with high hopes in the last games.

“It will be tough but we will try our best and I think today the major problem was the confidence and fitness levels of our players. In most situations we were chasing the ball and we were second to the ball,” said Mathuthu.

Dynamos assistant coach Tonderayi Ndiraya was happy that the Harare giants kept alive their battle for the league and cup Double.

“The early goal helped us to settle and I think it calmed the nerves of the players. Once we got the goal, we managed to control the game ad created so many chances. We could have scored more than 15 goals. Now we will focus on the next league game before we start thinking about the cup.”

Teams

Dynamos: W. Arubi, G. Bello, G. Zhokinyu, G. Magariro, M. Makopa (D. Chafa 80th min), A. Gutu, T. Muparati, W. Sithole (D. Mukamba 58th min), C. Malajila, T. Magorimbo, R. Mutuma (M. Vengesayi 69th min).

Shooting Stars: G. Brown, C. Mutero (W. Chingodza 75th min), G. Karimupfumbi, B. Mazorodze, T. Muzunze, T. Sambo, M. Muneri, E. Matsika, F. Kanda, J. Chitereki, E. Mashiri (P. Nhamo 80th min)

Bulls leave Blue Ribbon in knots

Eddie Chikamhi in Kwekwe

Motor Action ……………………..(1) 1

Blue Ribbon…………………………….0

Midfielder Isaac Masame made the difference with a beauty in the first half to send Motor Action through to the semi-finals of the Mbada Diamonds Cup after beating Blue Ribbon in a lukewarm match at Torwood yesterday.

Masame’s 34th minute scorcher, which earned him the man-of-the-match award, was one of the few highlights of the afternoon as both teams struggled to keep the ball on the ground in the searing heat. Blue Ribbon finished with 10 men after their holding midfielder, James Jam, was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the 82nd minute.

Jam got his first booking in the 79th minute for a rough tackle on Masimba Mambare and three minutes later he was shown another yellow card for a crude tackle on Conrad Whitby. The Mighty Bulls, however, drew satisfaction from the victory, which ended a one-month drought going back to September 24, when they last beat Monomotapa 2-1 in the first round of the same tournament.

They will now meet Zimbabwe Saints in the last four after Chikwata sailed through courtesy of a 9-8 victory over Kiglon on Saturday. The semi-finals will be played in a fortnight. Motor Action assistant coach, Prince Matore, said they were now looking forward to adding another piece of silverware to the BancABC Sup8r Cup they won early this year.

“I’m happy that we have won today but we had to fight hard because these guys beat us a few weeks ago. I give credit to the players for responding positively and we were aggressive and alert in all departments,” said Matore.

Motor Action were the first to test their opponents when Allan Gahadzikwa found space through the middle and unleashed a low shot that was punched back into play by Tapiwa Zvaita. Midfielder Milton Ncube then sent his effort over the cross bar from the rebound in the 10th minute.

Blue Ribbon never came into the game and their strikers didn’t threaten the Bulls defence and Motor Action goalkeeper Marlon Jani was virtually untested for the entire 90 minutes.

The Blue Ribbon strikers could have done better in the 21st minute when Talent Munetsi dispossesed Godfrey Moyo inside the box and laid a neat square pass into the area but the ball found no takers.

However, Masame gave the Bulls the breakthrough just 11 minutes before the breather when he received a good pass from Mambare and unleashed a powerful shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance from close range.

Blue Ribbon coach, Misheck Chidzambwa, made two changes at the restart, bringing in Mario Mabhacho and Charlton Mashumba, to add punch to his strikeforce but the millers’ fortunes didn’t change.

Blue Ribbon suffered a setback before the match when defender, Brighton Tuwaya, had to leave camp at the 11th hour following the death of his father.

Chidzambwa was frustrated and had no wise words for his side’s poor show, especially the sad ending when he had to restrain Takesure Chiragwi and Tineyi Chitora who had an altercation.

“We deserve to lose because we didn’t play our normal game. What we played today isn’t football, it was just kick and rush all afternoon and I cannot blame anyone or the pitch,” said Chidzambwa.

Teams

Motor Action

P. Bernard, O. Mushure, R. Machaya, G. Moyo, I. Masame, M. Ncube (c. Whitby 57th minute), M. Mambare, E. Gahadzikwa, T. Nyamandwe, K. Musharu.

Blue Ribbon

T. Zvaita, C. Rukwanhi, P. Chiragwi, M. Mwinga, C. Kamhapa (C. Mukanhairi 66th minute), P. Chitora, J. Jam, D. Kamunenga, C. Dickson, T. Munetsi (M. Mabhacho 46th minute), F. Kuswatuka (C. Mashumba 46th minute.).