Sweet victory for DeMbare
By Eddie Chikamhi
Dynamos captain Ocean Mushure led from the front as he grabbed a crucial winner to help Harare giants mark their return to Rufaro with a sweet victory over Triangle in a closely-fought Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match yesterday.
Mushure, who was deployed as attacking midfielder, yesterday provided the assist for the opening goal and then returned to tap the ball home in the 75th minute to secure maximum points for the Glamour Boys who responded in a big way to last week’s disappointing defeat at FC Platinum.
DeMbare, however, did not get the win on a silver platter yesterday as they survived some nervous moments from the Sugar Sugar Boys who were driven by their inspirational skipper Lameck Nhamo.
Nhamo, who was outstanding all afternoon, threatened to spoil the Glamour Boys’ return to their home ground when he cancelled out Tawanda Macheke’s 10th minute strike and helped his side take the game back to the hosts.
Dynamos, however, desperately needed the win yesterday to stay in touch with the leading pack in the championship race and they demonstrated the hunger from the first whistle as Macheke, Cameroonian striker Joel Epoupa Christian Ntouba and skipper Mushure made some fine moves into the box.
It did not come as a surprise to the crowd at Rufaro when Macheke headed home the first goal from close range after Mushure had kept the ball in on the left flank and found the towering forward in a good position.
Epoupa could have made it two with a quarter of an hour played when he powered his way into the box and fired a low shot that hit the side-netting and then beating Mverechena with a flick from a throw-in but the ball bounced back into play from the line.
But Triangle were soon back on level terms when Nhamo found space and unleashed a rising shot that beat Dynamos goalkeeper Blessing Mwandimutsira from a distant.
It was a brilliant strike from the Triangle skipper and from then the visitors started gaining confidence.
The Sugar Sugar Boys could have seized the initiative in the 50th minute when defender Obey Mwerahari almost made a suicidal backpass to the keeper which was intercepted by Simba Makoni.
The Triangle striker managed to beat the advancing keeper to the ball and with the goal at his mercy took more time to slot it home only for Mwerahari and Lincolin Zvasiya to recover and make a timely block.
Triangle at least deserved a point from their efforts but Mushure’s 75th minute goal made all the difference after substitute Emmanuel Mandiranga had done all the work beating goalkeeper Mverechena to the ball and laying the ball inside the box.
“Obviously coming from a defeat you would want to grind a result and more-so when coming back to Rufaro I think what we really needed today was three points and we thank the Almighty for giving us the points.
“This is our home ground and everything that we have achieved as an institution I think we achieved because of this ground. I think it was worth the while,” said Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa.
Dynamos moved two places up the ladder to fourth place with 33 points, four behind leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars who thrashed Hwange 4-1 yesterday.
Triangle coach Taurayi Mangwiro was distraught by the defeat, which meant that his team has not won in Harare this year.
“We conceded very early in the game and it was a nervous start for us although we later on tried to come back. But the difference in football as they say is about the conversions that you make.
“Unfortunately we remain win-less in Harare and it’s disappointing although today we had a goal. But things could have been different with that missed chance.
“If we had surged ahead with them having thrown away the lead the same way they lost their match against FC Platinum I thought we stood a very good chance had we converted that one.
“There is the difference, we go to sleep they get the second and they close shop and three points gone. Perhaps we did not do enough to deserve something at the end of the day,” said Mangwiro.
Teams
Dynamos: B. Mwandimutsira, P. Makaha, C. Rusere, L. Zvasiya, O. Mwerahari, T. Chipunza, G. Saunyama (P. Dube, 65th minute), O. Mushure, T. Macheke, E. Mandiranga (33rd minute), C. Epoupa, M. Mambare (C. Kapupurika, 59th minute)
Triangle: C. Mverechena, D. Phiri (E. Kamunda, 80th minute), B. Chimwamuchere, K. Chigwida, G. Zhokinyi, R. Kawondera, N. Meson (B. Maglasi, 60th minute), T. Huwa, R. Madamombe, S. Makoni (C. Denias, 66th minute), L. Nhamo. The Herald
