Dynamos players caught in mid-air scare

From Augustine Hwata in MASERU, Lesotho and Takudzwa Chitsiga in HARARE

DYNAMOS players were yesterday left a shaken lot following a mid-air drama which saw their flight being diverted from flying to its destination, Maseru, and being forced to return to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

The Harare giants are set to play Lesotho Correctional Services in an African Champions League, preliminary round, second round tie at Sesotho Stadium tomorrow hoping to defend the 3-0 lead from the first leg at Rufaro.

DeMbare players and officials were then booked into other flights, after their mid-air ordeal, and the batches arrived here after 7pm and the players were still checking in at 8pm from the third and last batch.

Some of the players had endured a three-hour wait in the departure lounge at OR Tambo International Airport before getting places on the rescheduled flights.

Goals by Patson Jaure, Tawanda Muparati and Francisco Zekumbawira saw Dynamos gaining the advantage over the Lesotho prison wardens.

All had appeared well for Dynamos when they set off from Harare International Airport and arriving in Johannesburg, as scheduled, but the drama started when 10 players were told that they could not be accommodated on the Airlink flight connecting to Maseru.

After a delayed departure, the bigger delegation left for Maseru while key players Murape Murape, Devon Chafa, Jaure, Muparati, Gift Bello, Tichaona Mabvura, Thomas Magorimbo, goalkeeper George Chigova and Ocean Mushure were scheduled to follow in a later flight.

But there was panic during the flight when the pilot announced that he was unable to land in Maseru because of heavy thunderstorms at the destination. The crew said they would circle around for five minutes and if the situation did not improve, they would return to OR Tambo International.

Anxiety and fear gripped some of the players, who were among the 37 passengers, as the plane slammed into turbulence. Mbuli Lubano, from the SA flight 8066, said the captain had taken a precaution against landing in a heavy storm.

“We could not land because of heavy rains,” she said.

Upon return to OR Tambo International, the 10-players who had been left behind and been booked on another flight, were already on their way. Coach Callisto Pasuwa was naturally disappointed by the sudden turn of events as he had hoped to conduct a light training session upon arrival yesterday.

“The players woke up as early as 4am today (yesterday) and we are back instead of having settled now,” he said.

But despite the mid-air scare, DeMbare players remained in a good mood and vowed to remain focused on the match tomorrow. Pasuwa said the team will have to conduct a light training session in the morning before they feel the match venue in the afternoon.

“It’s a day for training that has been wasted and we cannot do anything,” said Pasuwa.

“I had been telling the guys to remain prepared for anything and this kind of travelling is one of those things. We should therefore get a rest, and hope to have a light training in the morning and then feel the match venue in the afternoon. I hope we will psyche the guys to remain focused on the job.”

Dynamos are also hoping to be boosted by the arrival of supporters who are coming in by road from Zimbabwe and the Zimbabweans resident here. An army of DeMbare fans left the country for Lesotho yesterday confident their team would finish off their Champions League opponents.

Scores of supporters left by road in the afternoon, to cheer their team, which flew out of Harare earlier in the morning. Dynamos national supporters’ chairman Phillimon Bonde said 75 fans made the road trip to rally behind the Glamour Boys.

“We are happy as supporters to go and rally behind our team in Lesotho,” said Bonde.

“The team needs us and having some representatives there is good and I wish the fans who are travelling a very safe journey.

“I am not making the trip because of some business commitments but I believe the guys will represent us well in that foreign land. The team is solid and we are confident that we can come up with a positive result in Maseru. The team needs our support and we are making sure that we do just that.”

Bonde also praised Savanna Tobacco, who through their Pacific brand provided transport and fuel for the fans to travel to Lesotho.

Savanna and the Dynamos fans have now established a firm relationship. “We are very grateful to Savanna, who gave us transport for the trip. Our relationship is getting stronger every day and we believe it will continue like that,” said Bonde.

“The sponsors have helped us very much and they provided a bus, some replica jerseys and flags, among other things. We praise them for the support they are giving us and we hope to continue supporting each other because our fans now know that this is a brand to also support.”

A Savanna Tobacco spokesman said they just wanted to cement their relationship with Dynamos supporters.

“We are happy to be associated with Dynamos, especially that they are representing the nation. We will continue to support them in 2013 and I wish the team all the best of luck in Lesotho,” she said.