Dembare title hopes dented by Eagles draw

By Augustine Hwata

Dynamos ……………………….(1) 1

Eagles………………………………………..(0) 1

Bustling striker Benjamin Marere struck a gem of a goal, but Evans Gwekwerere’s penalty miss saw Dynamos’ bid draw level on points with pacesetters Motor Action suffer a dent in a Premiership tie against Eagles at Rufaro yesterday.

Marere scored a fine volley in the 44th minute after Dynamos had been forced to back-pedal for the greater part of the match by a youthful Eagles outfit. Draw specialists Eagles ensured a share of the spoils when centre back Ephraim Mwinga brought them level after converting a 69th minute penalty.

Dynamos goalkeeper, Washington Arubi needlessly brought down Tawanda Mareya inside the box and Bulawayo referee Mlindile Ndebele pointed to the spot. Arubi received a yellow card and up-stepped Mwinga to place a low shot to his left while the goalkeeper dived to his right.

But the Dynamos faithful thought their team had wrapped up the three points when tall defe-nder Obey Mwerahari handled inside the box as he tried to clear a goal-bound shot from Gwekwerere in the 75th minute. Gwekwerere, in the heat of the excitement, took a shot that Eagles goalkeeper Samuel Mafukidze did well to parry back into play when he dived to his right to thwart the effort.

The result left Dynamos two points shy of leaders Motor Action with just one game in hand over the Mighty Bulls. It was not the kind of result Dynamos would have wanted ahead of their high-profile Harare derby clash against bitter rivals CAPS United at the same venue on Sunday.

Before DeMbare meet CAPS United, the Mig-hty Bulls could have increased their lead at the top should they overcome Black Mambas at Morris Depot on Saturday. CAPS United could also set the tone for the derby when they clash against struggling Shoot-ing Stars at Rufaro this afternoon.

There was a good crowd that turned up at Rufaro yesterday as the Premiership enters its home stretch. Dynamos assistant coach Simon Chuma was disappointed with the result, but believes his charges will be at their fluent best against CAPS United. “We should have buried them with that penalty by Evans and won the game and the three points.

“Obviously, I am not happy with the result but it happens in football. I cannot fault Evans for missing the penalty because it happens in football. If you look at Eagles, they got their goal from a penalty but we missed and even great players like Robert Baggio have missed penalties at the World Cup,” said Chuma. Chuma pointed out that he was pleased that they had managed to gain a point and at least closed the gap on Motor Action.

“We managed to gain a point and reduce the gap on the other team. We fought hard and I am hoping that we will pick up against CAPS United,” he said. Chuma had this week reiterated that smaller teams always come to the party against Dynamos and he was spot on as Eagles soared above the Harare giants in the opening stages of the game.

Eagles technical manager Friday Phiri was pleased with the result after his side lost the reverse fixture 1-0 in all ill-tempered game in which Patridge Muskwe, the Eagles coach nearly came to blows with Dynamos’ Elvis Chiweshe. Yesterday, Phiri believes they could have scored at least a goal in the early stages of the game. “I do not think anyone will point a finger at us that we are throwing away games.

“We have the highest number of draws but we are fighting. The result could have been different if we had scored in the opening stages where we dominated them,” said Phiri. For those who are superstitious in the Dynamos camp, there was a premonition that the Flying Eagles were going to be stubborn lot after they delayed the kick off by 12 minutes arguing over which side of the field to take for the kick off.

It appeared as if Eagles skipper Tafadzwa Takawira wanted to defend the northern end first while Dynamos captain George Magariro also wanted to defend the same goal. The stand-off sucked in Dynamos team manager Nyika Chifamba and Phiri but eventually DeMbare had it their way. Eagles nearly struck in the third minute when Malvern Dumbura’s first time shot off a Webster Chingodza pass, flew just over the bar from close range.

Dynamos got their break in the 10th minute when Gwekwerere won possession just outside the box and then shrugged off Peter Muzondo and Conrad Whitby before laying the ball on for Marere who toe-poked his effort wide. Mareya dispossessed Brighton Tuwaya on the right flank and set up the stocky Dumbura but Guthrie Zhokinyu made a timely intervention to boot the ball out for a corner in the 12th minute.

Eagles continued to put every man behind the ball and won most of the loose balls against Murape Murape and Wonder Sithole in the first half. The Eagles players were more alert to clear their lines each time Dynamos created space in their half but they were nearly caught unaware when Wonder Sithole fired a long range shot from the left, while Eagles, for all their industry, failed to trouble Arubi.

Gwekwerere made a silky touch when he brilliantly controlled a pass from Phillip Sithole and then shook off his markers but Takawira, a former Dynamos player, pushed the ball out for a corner. Eagles were then caught with their pants down when Marere put DeMbare ahead just before half time.

Wonder Sithole whipped in a cross from the left into the box and Gwekwerere left it for Marere to put power behind the ball and it shook the nets. In the second half, Gwekwerere struck on the turn but his weak effort also found Mafukidze alert to palm it away to safety. Dynamos continued to probe the Eagles back line with Wonder Sithole squaring for Marere who shot straight into Mafukidze’s waiting hands.

Eagles tried to claw back into the game when Mwerahari picked his space but Milton Makopa blocked the effort. Wonder Sithole was pulled out for newboy Archieford Gutu who showed glimpses of style with a cool control and effort as he bid for his first goal for Dynamos in the 67th minute. Arubi then gave away the penalty while Gwekwerere, a few minutes later spurned a chance to restore the lead from the spot kick.

Dylan Chivandire rose from the bench but could not give Dynamos the winner they desperately sought.

Teams:

Dynamos: W. Arubi, B. Tuwaya, P. Sithole, G. Magariro, G. Zhonkinyu, M. Makopa, W. Sithole (A. Gutu 65th min), E. Gwekwerere (D. Chivandire 78th min), T. Kamusoko (E. Mashiri 83rd min), B. Marere, M. Murape

Eagles: S. Mafukidze, W. Chingodza, T. Takawira, O. Mwerahari, B. Chirimhanzi (S. Murove 73rd min), M. Dumbura, T. Mareya (B. Katsaruware 85th min) P. Muzondo, E. Mwinga, C. Whitby, G. Phiri.