Dynamos held to draw by Chicken Inn

By Augustine Hwata

Dynamos………. (1) 1

Chicken Inn…….(1) 1

HARARE – Champions Dynamos stuttered again when they had to come from behind to rescue a point against a determined Chicken Inn in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter at Rufaro yesterday.

DeMbare got the defence of their Premiership title off to a slow start when they were held by Black Mambas at Morris Depot on Good Friday.

The Harare giants — who played with one eye on their impending Champions League assignment — turned on another lacklustre show at the ceremonial home of football yesterday, which left questions hanging over their pedigree to overturn the 3-0 deficit they suffered against Club Athletic Bizertin of Tunisia.

Dynamos had pencil-slim midfielder Cliff Sekete to thank for heading in the priceless equaliser in the 29th minute after Chicken Inn had taken a shock lead through Tendai Ndoro in the 15th minute.

After watching his charges come from behind to rescue a point, Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa said there was need to psyche up his players before they plunge into the Champions League first round, second leg assignment on Sunday.

Dynamos have now dropped four points from their opening two league matches following their 1-1 draw to Black Mambas on Good Friday while the Gamecocks are now on four points after beating newcomers Triple B in the opening match of the season.

The Glamour Boys were the first off the blocks when Francisco Zekumbawira — still searching for his first Dynamos goal — probed the Chicken Inn defence by shaking off the challenge from Zephaniah Ngodzo but directed his effort over the bar from the edge of the box after just two minutes.

Ngodzo was at fault in the fourth minute when he fouled Patrick Khumbula just on the edge of the box, but Tawanda Muparati made a mess of the set piece from what appeared to be a promising position with the Dynamos vice-captain blasting the free-kick straight into the wall.

Chicken Inn then asked Dynamos goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi some questions when Tendai Mukambi drove a rising shot that the goalkeeper parried over the bar for the first corner of the match in the sixth minute, with Canaan Nkomo later failing to score from close range as the Bulawayo side began exposing their more illustrious opponents.

Dynamos were missing central defender Patson Jaure, who had a hamstring problem and Pasuwa brought in Augustine Mbara and Gift Bello to play in central defence while Thomas Magorimbo and Ocean Mushure operated on the wings.

For some spells, Devon Chafa — who was playing as the defensive link — was forced to draw back deeper to help the defenders as Chicken Inn continued to lay siege at Mukandi’s goal.

Chicken Inn’s industry was rewarded when Ndoro kept his composure and cleverly slotted the ball between Mukandi and his near post.

Spurred by their goal, Chicken Inn became lively and took the game to a DeMbare side that lacked vitality and were lucky to avoid falling further behind as the visitors somehow chose to be casual in their approach.

Former Gunners player Sekete then drew the home team level in the 29th minute when he connected with his head from the blind side following a fine cross, whipped in from the left by Mushure.

Thabani Goredema nearly gave Chicken Inn the advantage in the 50th minute when he beat Mbara inside the box, but shot weakly at Mukandi. The hosts gradually came back into the game with Muparati driving his effort wide from inside the box.

Chicken Inn skipper Felix Chindungwe and his backline did well to repel everything that Dynamos threw at them and the visitors managed to regain their confidence when Zimbabwe youth international Kuda Mahachi came on as a substitute to give impetus to their attack.

Pasuwa pulled out Murape Murape, Patrick Khumbula and Muparati as he sought to turn on the pressure on the visitors but the Gamecocks held onto to a valuable point on the road. After drawing twice in their opening two games and managing as many goals, Pasuwa will be hoping that his charges find their range when they represent the country in the Champions League.

“We wanted to collect the three points, but we got one and that’s the name of the game. But we are prepared for the next game and like I said before, we have to go out there and psyche up the guys so that we can have the goals coming.

“I will have to sit down with them (players) and tell them that we can do it. Let’s go out there and get the goals. We also have to practice hard at the training,” said Pasuwa.

Pasuwa is now hoping that Jaure will bounce back on Sunday, but his major worry is in attack as his charges are failing to utilise chances.

“Defensively we played well (against Chicken Inn) but offensively we are lacking in terms of attack. All I can say is that we are ready for Bizertin and we are going out there to get those goals coming,” he said.

Pasuwa said he was forced to use Mbara as a centreback because the other defenders who are higher up the perking order for the position are ineligible.

“On the new signings, we have Byron Madzokere who is injured. He has a problem with his back. We also have Sydney Linyama, whom we still don’t have a clearance from Chicken Inn and then Morris Kadzola is awaiting clearance again from Motor Action.

“We also have Jeremy from DRC and we are still waiting for his ITC and those are some of the setbacks that are forcing us to make positional changes,” said Pasuwa.

Chicken Inn’s goalscorer Ndoro said he was pleased to score the vital goal and hopes to score more this season. Last year, Ndoro was on target four times and has set himself a target of at least 10 goals this season.

“I am happy to score in my first game of the season because I missed the opening match due to problems with my licence. It’s a good start for me and I hope through hard work and team work, I can score more goals,” he said.

Ndoro said he could have scored another goal, but was tired and did not begrudge his coach Mandla Moyo for pulling him out when he ran out of steam.

“I was very composed in the box and knew where to place the ball when I scored that goal, but I did tire as the game progressed,” he said.

Mpofu said they would aim higher this year and win trophies for their late coach Adam Ndlovu. The Herald

Teams:

Dynamos: A. Mukandi, T. Magorimbo, O. Mushure, A. Mbara, G. Bello, D. Chafa. M. Murape (R. Madamombe 68th min), T. Muparati (A. Tawarwisa 88th min) , C. Sekete, P. Khumbula (W.Pakamisa 60th min), F. Zekumbawira

Chicken Inn: L. Chirava, M. Jackson, F. Chindungwe, Z. Ngodzo, B. Mbiriri, T. Ndoro ( K. Mahachi 75th min), C. Dube, T. Goredema, M. Dube, T. Mukambi( Marima 63rd min), D. Phiri, (B. Juru 89th min).