DeMbare make sure with Takesure strike

By Eddie Chikamhi

Dynamos ………………………………… (1)1

Liga Muculmana …………………………….0

(Dynamos won 3-2 on aggregate)

It just keeps getting better and better for Takesure Chinyama. And, the more that he scores, the more that he is proving wrong his critics who claim he is a fluke and all this madness will soon die down.

Yesterday, Harare giants Dynamos brushed aside a token challenge from Mozambique’s Liga Muculmana with a solitary strike from their man-of-the-moment Chinyama at Rufaro to book a date against holders Esperance in the second round of the Caf Champions League tournament.

DeMbare made a bright start in this year’s campaign when they held the Mozambicans 2-2 in the first leg of this first round tie. And after getting the crucial goals away from home, it was all pointing to a happy ending for the Glamour Boys who enjoyed the backing of a huge crowd estimated to be over 30 000.

DeMbare continued from where they left off in Maputo a fortnight ago with the scorer of both goals Chinyama leading from the front again to complete 3-2 aggregate win. Muculmana, to their credit, gave a good account with their passing game.

They appeared to have settled early in the hostile environment, taking the first shot on target when midfielder Mustafa Ismael unleashed a powerful shot that was tipped over the crossbar by goalkeeper Washington Arubi in the second minute.

But the Glamour Boys seized control afterwards, with the Blue Army, who were vociferous the whole afternoon, solidly behind them. Denver Mukamba got their first chance in the seventh minute but his shot from the edge of the box agonisingly went wide as Murape Murape made a desperate sliding effort to keep the ball in.

DeMbare’s efforts were quickly rewarded when Chinyama got a return pass from industrious midfielder Murape just outside the centre circle and made a few strides before firing a low shot to the far right of the diving goalkeeper Caio Vanacio in the 17th minute.

Dynamos thought that they had doubled the in the 32nd minute when Denver Mukamba hit the back of the nets but their celebrations were cut short when South African referee Victor Hlongwane disallowed the goal for off-side.

The second half was a different story as Muculmana tried to fight their way back into the game but with no success as DeMbare remained strong. The visitors, who needed at least two goals without conceding further, exchanged some neat passes but could not press forward into the DeMbare half.

The Mozambiacans had no shot on target in the second half. The DeMbare holding midfielders Milton Makopa and Leo Kurauzvione, who came in as replacement for injured Devon Chafa in the 45th minute, did well to close down the visitors’ raids but they will admit that Sterlio Ernesto and Ismael were always a handful.

Despite playing second fiddle in the middle of the park for the most of the time and showing signs of tiring in the second half, Dynamos goalkeeper Arubi was never troubled. Instead it was the home team who still managed to press forward and twice Mukamba tried his luck with long range efforts but found the goalkeeper alert.

Mukamba could have done better soon after the restart when he got a through pass from Makopa but shot straight into the legs of the advancing goalkeeper before sending the rebound wide.

Rodreck Mutuma, who appeared uncomfortable playing on the left wing, nearly broke his silence in the 73rd minute when he controlled a high ball and struck a grounder that was spilled by the goalkeeper before the Muculmana defenders cleared their lines.

Dynamos will now meet the Tunisian champions who beat Brikama United of The Gambia 3-1 to qualify for the next round 4-1 on aggregate.

“The main thing was to qualify for the next round first and then we talk about Esperance. They are a good team and we need to prepare well for them,” said coach Callisto Pasuwa.

The DeMbare mentor, however, maintained that Muculmana who beat Mafunzo of Zanzibar in the preliminary round were not easy customers.

“Muculmana play a passing game but we disallowed them to pass the ball freely going forward through they centre and they ended up going diagonal. But in the second half the boys did more of defending instead of going forward,” said Pasuwa.

Muculmana assistant coach Dauide Razague conceded defeat and attributed the loss mainly to inexperience. “Dynamos played a good game. Our team doesn’t have a lot of experience in this tournament. I would like to congratulate Dynamos for the win,” he said.

Teams

Dynamos — W. Arubi, T. Magorimbo, O. Mushure, P. Jaure, G. Magariro, M. Makopa, D. Chafa (L. Kurauzvione, 45th minute), D. Mukamba (T. Muparati, 68th minute), M. Murape, T. Chinyama (M. Vengesai, 79th minute), R. Mutuma

Liga Muculmana — C. Vanacio, M. Malango, M. Ismael (A. Munjara, 82nd minute), R. Fait, M. Matsinhe (N. Ubisse, 52nd minute), J. Again, A. Cumaio (Miosha, 67th minute), S. Ernesto, L. Vaz, C. Paulino.