Champions DeMbare held by Harare City

By Grace Chingoma

Dynamos………………………………………….0
Harare City……………………………………….0

HARARE – Champions Dynamos’ belief that they cannot perform well against Harare City due to “other forces” was once again highlighted yesterday when, as the home team, they used an undesignated entry into the Rufaro pitch for their warm-up session before they laboured to a goalless draw in this Castle Lager Premiership tie yesterday.

DeMbare are yet to beat modest Harare City convincingly in any league action since the Sunshine Boys were promoted into the top flight last year where City won the first leg 1-0 before the Glamour Boys won the reverse tie by the same margin after defender Ocean Mushure found a late goal.

Yesterday, tales of juju influencing the results reigned supreme at Rufaro.

It seems to be more of a physiological problem for Dynamos that whenever they face Bigboy Mawiwi’s Harare City it won’t be a stroll in the park for them and in turn they approach the tie with less confidence unlike when they face rivals CAPS United whom they believe they can always beat at any given time.

While Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa could not comment on the incident, insisting that he was already on the pitch when it happened and did not see it, he could also not be drawn to comment on whether such behaviour would in anyway have a mental impact on the team before they took to the pitch for the game. It appears even the club’s fans were somehow content with the draw against Harare City.

However, yesterday’s match was completely different from the high-profile derby between DeMbare and CAPS United as both teams played good football and the champions who quickly settled in could have drawn first blood in the third minute had midfielder Tawanda Muparati not taken a casual approach to his effort after he had received a fine delivery from Thomas Magorimbo.

Dynamos forward Clive Kawinga, who is yet to score in the club’s colours, after moving from CAPS United was guilty 10 minutes later when he failed to execute with lots of space to manoeuvre but fluffed his chance.

Muparati watched in agony on the half hour when his header was saved by Sunshine Boys goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupangedengu after he had received a fine cross from Washington Pakamisa.

Pasuwa was forced to make a change in the 36th minute when central defender Gift Bello limped out with an injury and had to be replaced by midfielder Stephen Alimenda who went on to partner Devon Chafa in the defensive midfield role while Thomas Magorimbo reverted to the reaguard duties.

With Harare City now slowly creeping into the game, striker Osborne Mukuradare thought he had found the opener in the 43rd minute but referee Ruzive Ruzive ruled it out for offside.

The match was more lively in the second period and City crept out of their shell and began to dictate some pace in midfield with young and slippery Phineas Bamusi who came in for Trymore Nyamadzawo causing some anxious moments for DeMbare.

Ugandan striker Boban Ziruntusa who came in for Kawinga in the 55th minute, saw his long range effort go over in the 63rd minute as Muparati who was having another brilliant afternoon was picking all the pieces in midfield.

The Glamour Boys were nearly reduced to 10 man in the 82nd minute when defender Partson Jaure was injured after he got to the end of a nasty tackle from City forward Bamusi when they had exhausted their substitutes. Bamusi duly yellow carded by the referee as Jaure took some time outside the pitch being attended.
The Warriors defender eventually got back but merely to just make up the numbrs.

With the match edging towards the end Harare City raised their tempo and striker Godfrey Nguwodzawo nearly scored two minutes before time but his header missed the target as the team briefly kept Dynamos under siege.

Dynamos could also have found a late winner on the stroke of full time when Mushure’s  well taken corner found Jaure but the later’s header missed the target and in the end both teams had to settle for a share of spoils.

Harare City coach Mawiwi said it was a fair result considering they were playing the champions.
“I think we played well despite the fact that we started slowly and only started playing our normal game after 20 minutes. And l also think that goal we scored, was a clear goal.

Dynamos are the defending champions and we did our best, the team is new and we are building a foundation and it was a fair result.
“We should have got our chances but it wasn’’t our day. Dynamos were also attacking and this is a fair result,” said Mawiwi.

Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa said his game plan was affected by the early injury to Bello and later Kawinga but was still satisfied with the point they picked.
“We couldn’t score. The problem was caused by the substitution after the injury on Bello when Magorimbo was in control of the midfield. Kawinga got injured as well and we badly wanted those three points but it was unfortunate. l am happy with the draw because of the situation.

“Bello’’s ankle immediately got swollen five minutes after he was injured and Jaure had a crack on the shin according to the medical team, but l don’t know about Clive’s injury as yet. We have so many injuries and we have to assess our squad and see who is fit for the weekend match against Motor Action,” said Pasuwa. The Herald

Teams

Dynamos: G. Chigova, M. Kadzola, G. Bello (S. Alimenda 36th minute), P. Jaure, O. Mushure, D. Chafa, T. Magorimbo, T. Muparati, M. Murape (F. Mupasiri 73rd minute), C. Kawinga (B. Ziruntusa 55th minute), W. Pakamisa.

Harare City: M. Nyamupangedengu, W. Kalongonda, C. Dickson, W. Nyamutsaka, R. Sengu, J. Jam, T. Nyamadzawo (P. Bamusi 61st minute), N. Ziwini, W. Manondo, M. Vengesayi (G. Nguwodzawo 80th minute), O. Mukuradare (C. Muvuti 76th minute).