By Langton Nyakwenda
Motor Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
HARARE – The menacing Clive Kawinga scored his first goal for Dynamos while inspirational midfielder Tawanda Muparati thumped in a trademark long ranger as the defending champions trampled the Mighty Bulls at Rufaro yesterday.
With the win, DeMbare leapfrogged How Mine and FC Platinum into second place, at least until the end of action today.
In the absence of four key players namely Partson Jaure, Gift Bello, Devon Chafa and Ocean Mushure, DeMbare coach Callisto Pasuwa was forced to abandon his favoured 4-4-2 formation and employed three central defenders in a 3-5-2 set up.
The negative effects were telling as Motor Action dominated the match up until Dynamos snatched the lead through the boot of Kawinga in the 63rd minute when he buried home a rebound after Augustine Mbara’s thunderous drive had ricocheted off the upright post.
It was Kawinga’s first goal in DeMbare colours ever since he crossed the Great Divide from bitter rivals Caps United early this year and his celebration said it all as his younger brother and 2012 Player of the Year, Denver Mukamba, who was watching in the terraces could not hide his joy.
Dynamos doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Muparati’s dipping shot was too much for Motor Action’s veteran keeper, Marlon Jani who tried but in vain as the ball nestled into the top left corner to spark wild celebrations from the Vietnam Stand.
But it was Motor Action coach, Joey Antipas who was left cursing the lack of precision from his strikers as the Mighty Bulls could have wrapped up the game by the hour mark.
The midfield combination of Louis Matawu, Ngonidzashe Maviri, Yves Ebabali and Blessing Sande had an edge over DeMbare’s five man midfield whose weak parts were captain Murape Murape and Morris Kadzola who seemed to be overawed by the reality of facing his former paymasters for the first time.
Veteran striker Dylan Chivandire belied his experience when he missed a clear header in the 24th after left back Passmore Bernard had whipped in a dangerous cross into the box.
Chivandire thought he had found the opener on the half hour mark but his goal was ruled out for offside after he had gotten to the end of some fine interplay between Matawu and the menacing forward, Misheck Mburayi.
DeMbare could have snatched the lead against the run of play but Muparati’s blistering low drive from a neat lay off by Boban Ziruntusa missed the upright post by some few inches with Jani a beaten man.
But Motor Action seized control again with Maviri coming near with a powerful drive that narrowly missed the target. The Mighty Bulls pressed in the early stages of the second stanza and forced two corner kicks in the opening 10 minutes but their verve was stalled when Dynamos found the opener.
Antipas admitted his team’s lack of potency and a number of defensive errors had cost his side but gave respect to Muparati’s strike.
“We lost fair and square and I must hail Tawanda’s strike because any keeper in the world would have had problems with that one,” said Antipas.
Pasuwa paid tribute to Kawinga whom he thinks will be among the top scorers at the club this season.
“We were missing some players and I had to throw in youngsters like Abel Gwatidzo into the first line up but I am happy we collected the maximum points. We started very slowly and our central defenders were not communicating well but we managed to talk to them and the second half was better,” he said.
Teams
Motor Action: M. Jani, R. Machaya, P. Bernard, C. Mutero, M. Mburayi, Y. Ebabali (C Matawu 66th), D. Chivandire, N. Maviri (M. Tigere 86th), B. Sande, L. Matawu, D. Walaza
Dynamos: G. Chigova, T. Magorimbo, A. Mbara, S. Alimenda, M. Kadzola, A. Gwatidzo, M. Murape (L. Murape 83rd), T. Muparati, B. Ziruntusa, C. Kawinga (T. Mabvura 88th), W. Pakamisa
