DeMbare open three-point lead at the top

By Eddie Chikamhi

Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
Harare City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1

After seemingly choking when it mattered most, giants Dynamos yesterday finally found a way to win again and give their anxious fans something to cheer about when they opened a three-point lead at the top of the table following their hard-fought win over Harare City at the National Sports Stadium.

DeMbare — who had starred when being held 1-1 by lowly Shabanie Mine in a midweek fixture at Maglas — took full advantage of the slip-ups by their main rivals in the title race — Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum and Chicken Inn to create some breathing space at the summit.

The former champions played second fiddle to the Sunshine Boys in the opening minutes yesterday, but a brilliant piece of work from Peace Makaha and an own goal by Harare City defender Raymond Uchena either side of the break was the breakthrough they needed despite conceding a late goal from one of their former players, Martin Vengesai.

Perhaps as their coach Lloyd Mutasa said in the post-match interview, in which he appeared a bubbly and relieved man, DeMbare needed to end a disappointing run of three games without winning to boost their momentum in the championship home stretch. This was after they had fluffed a great opportunity to extend their lead at the top when they allowed Shabanie Mine a late equaliser at Maglas.

“I think we needed this result after going for some few matches without winning. I think these three points will put us in a good position going forward. We talked to the boys that we can only control things that we can.

“What is important for us as an institution is to try and concentrate on what we are doing. In the eyes of many people when we drew against Shabanie Mine it was easy to say Dynamos should have taken advantage (of the slip up of their title rivals) but this is football. People should know that every team in our situation would want to take advantage but you get a draw, you get a loss, you get a win; it’s part and parcel of the game what matters most probably is maintaining our position,” said Mutasa.

The Premiership race still remains a four-horse race as Dynamos are facing tough competition from Chicken Inn and platinum sides, FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars, going into the last seven games of the season.

But with Highlanders demolishing Chicken Inn 4-0 at Barbourfields yesterday, a day after CAPS United had held FC Platinum 1-1 at their own backyard and Ngezi Platinum Stars also playing out a surprise goalless home draw against Tsholotsho, it seemed everything is conspiring to aid the Glamour Boys’ quest this season.

Even Bosso who had terribly lost their way in their last seven outings and were slowly sliding into the relegation zone are now doing Dynamos a favour and not surprisingly their rout of Chicken Inn was greeted with so much excitement in the blue half of the capital yesterday and especially at the National Sports Stadium. The top four teams also faltered in the previous mid-week games to buy Dynamos more time at the apex. And now the Glamour Boys can afford breathing space on 56 points, three ahead of closets rivals Ngezi Platinum Stars and FC Platinum.

DeMbare had to soak the pressure from Harare City early in the game yesterday. They had a good chance against the run of play when Masimba Mambare released their top marksman Christian Joel Epoupa through the middle in the eighth minute but the Cameroonian could not beat the drawn out keeper Maxwell Nyamupangedengu from close range.

Mambare could have done better with the rebound but he over-emphasized his effort with a chip that glided just over the bar as Nyamupangedengu and his defenders were still trying to find their footing. Yet the Sunshine Boys continued pressing after their coach Philani Ncube threw in an attacking side that comprised Protash Kabwe, William Manondo, Grey Kufandada, Malvin Gaki and Vengesai whose pace always troubled the hosts.

But DeMbare were still the first on the score-sheet when Makaha started a move in the midfield and waited for the return pass in the box after Mambare had done brilliantly at the bye-line in the 34th minute. Makaha, who had an impressive outing yesterday, met the ball first time and goalkeeper Nyamupangedengu was beaten by the bounce.

City though could have hit back instantly but Manondo’s sliding effort rattled the foot of the upright post after getting to the end of a cross from the right by Takudzwa Chimwemwe with the goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga beaten. And as news filtered from Bulawayo that Highlanders had taken a healthy lead over their title rivals Chicken Inn, Dynamos supporters paid homage to their bitter rivals by reciting Bosso’s signature chants.

In no time, the Harare giants won a free-kick on the right flank, the position that has earned them most of their goals this season through the boot of their skipper Ocean Mushure after Epoupa was brought down by Tendai Samanja.

As expected Mushure came in with a dangerous ball that Harare City defender Uchena turned into his own nets in a desperate bid to clear in the 67th minute. But then Mutasa’s men, as has become their major weakness, switched off in the final moments and allowed Vengesai the space to take his shot from a tight angle three minutes into the referee’s optional time.

The ball landed on the roof of the nets and DeMbare had to hold their nerves until the final whistle as the visitors tried to build on the momentum to salvage a point. Harare City coach Philani Ncube, however, could not hide his disappointment with his players. Ncube said the Sunshine Boys lacked quality as they dropped into the relegation jigsaw puzzle following the defeat.

“Individually we don’t have quality, but I’m happy with the way that we played, although we couldn’t convert. If we had managed to score a goal in the first half perhaps we could have been talking about a different thing altogether. But that’s football,” said Ncube. The Herald

Teams:

Dynamos: T. Mateyaunga P. Makaha, O. Mushure, L. Zvasiya, M. Machazane, T. Chipunza, J. Konono, Q. Kangadze (V. Ndaba, 75th minute), C. Kapupurika (P. Dube, 70th minute), C. Epoupa, M. Mambare (T. Macheke, 64th minute)

Harare City: M. Nyamupangedengu (K. Shangiwa, 80th minute), T. Chimwemwe, P. Mpelele, H. Chapusha, T. Samanja, R. Uchena, W. Manondo, M. Gaki, P. Kabwe (P. Mpelele, 63rd minute), M. Vengesai, G. Kufandada (W. Muvirimi, 80th minute).