By Augustine Hwata
Gunners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
GUTHRIE ZHOKINYI slammed home a beauty of a free-kick, in the dying moments of this highly-charged game, to propel Dynamos to victory at Lafarge yesterday and provide an answer to those who have questioned the spirit of this group of Glamour Boys.
Just a few days after former Dynamos coach and midfielder, Elvis Chiweshe, triggered a stormy nationwide debate by questioning the quality of the players in the Class of 2012, Zhokinyi showed there were still some gems in this team with a memorable moment.
The Zimbabwe international rose to the challenge, when Dynamos needed an inspiration as the clock ticked away, and fired home a goal that should help cool the tension in his camp and buy more time for coach Callisto Pasuwa to strengthen his squad.
“It was a difficult match for us because we were under pressure to get a victory,” said Zhokinyi, whose winner produced a roar that must have been heard by the inmates at Chikurubi.
“So during all the tension over the free-kick, I remained calm as a seasoned player. When the referee gave us the free-kick, I took aim and cracked at goal. I think we deserved to win and I dedicate the goal to our coach.
“This victory gives us a morale-booster ahead of the Caf Confederations Cup match at the weekend.”
Gunners finished the game with 10-men when skipper Pardon Chinungwa was expelled after he had fouled Dynamos’ striker Derrick Kabwe in the 84th minute.
Kabwe received a fine pass from the midfield and he charged towards goal, but was clipped from behind by the steely Chinungwa who got his marching orders from referee Pascal Chadya.
A few minutes earlier, Chadya had ejected Gunners’ assistant coach Lazarus Pararayi from the bench because the goalkeeper’s coach had provoked Dynamos fans on the northern terraces.
Dynamos players and fans protested that Chadya should award them a penalty on the presumption that the offence by Chinungwa was committed inside the box while Gunners remained adamant that the offence was just outside the box.
Chadya made the right decision as he awarded Dynamos a free-kick from the promising position while Rodreck Mutuma earned himself a yellow card for protesting.
And it was from the resultant free-kick, in the arc, that Zhokinyi curled the ball past the wall and beyond the reach of Gunners’ goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba to ignite wild celebrations from the strong DeMbare army in the stands. By then, the match had seemingly been heading for a draw with Mutuma having given Dynamos the lead in the 32nd minute after the Harare giants had missed several scoring chances.
Young midfield Tichaona Mabvura, who was given a rare place in the starting line-up, engineered goal when he ran on the left before making an intelligent pass to Mutuma who was lurking in the box on the right.
Mutuma kept his composure as he controlled the ball before rifling a rising shot which nestled into the top corner of the near post.
Gunners, who were lucky not concede half a dozen goals in the first half, evened the scores in the 52nd minute when Patson Jaure fouled William Manondo in the box.
Moses Muchenje stepped up to send the ball to his right while Washington Arubi, who is scheduled to join South African side Black Leopards, dived the other way. But Dynamos could also count themselves lucky to finish with 11 players when Chinyama, who is expected to leave for medicals with Orlando Pirates today, survived.
Chinyama, who missed several clear-cut chances, first received a yellow card for complaining after he had been penalised for a foul on Gunners defender Byron Madzokere in the 19th minute.
The giant forward then deliberately used his hand to control the ball in the 31st minute for what could have been a second bookable offence but Chadya chose to warn the player.
Pressure was on Dynamos to win yesterday’s game and Zhokinyi made sure they collected maximum points with a vintage free-kick.
Pasuwa started with a three-pronged attack in which he used Chinyama, Mutuma and Vengesayi while he also brought Leeroy Murape for his first competitive game at Dynamos.
“The modern trend in football is to play with two strikers but when we used three, we asked Rodreck to drop and play as a linkman.
“I am happy that we created chances with Thomas Magorimbo executing fine passes for the forwards but we failed to convert the chances.
“Anywhere I am happy with the win as it relieves pressure on us a bit,” said Pasuwa.
Gunners’ coach, Thanks Tengwe, blasted his players for a negative attitude towards the match especially in the first half.
“We did not play well in the first half. Our players had a negative attitude towards the game and Dynamos could have scored six goals against us.
“But we played better in the second half and but after equalising, the boys started playing for a draw instead of a win. Dynamos were the better team and they deserved to win,” said Tengwe.
Teams
Gunners: P. Chigumba, B. Sande, V. Ndaba (W. Manondo 48th min), L. Fiyado, J. Jangano, B. Madzokere, P. Chinungwa, M. Muchenje, H. Zvirekwi, C. Sekete (W. Manondo 47th min) C. Mukuruva (M. Kunyarimwe 85th min)
Dynamos: W. Arubi, D. Kutyauripo, A. Mbara, D. Chafa (T. Muparati 85th min), M. Vengesayi (L. Murape 68th min), T. Magorimbo, T. Chinyama (D. Kabwe 53rd min), P. Jaure, G. Zhokinyi, R. Mutuma, T. Mabvura.
