Sweet revenge as DeMbare beat Buffaloes

By Augustine Hwata

Dynamos………………………………….…(2) 2

Buffaloes………………………………………(0) 0

TRIANGLE – The message from the Dynamos camp has been that their shock defeat at Sakubva two weeks ago, at the hands of Buffaloes, was just one of those fluke results that come during a football season. 

Dynamos vs Buffaloes

This BancABC Sup8r Cup quarter-final pairing between the two teams gave us a chance to see if there was any substance in the message of defiance that has been coming from the Glamour Boys camp.

Just like in their league match at Sakubva, the Harare giants scored two goals against Buffaloes but, unlike in that contest, the Mutare side could not hit back and, where they got three goals at home, they fired blanks on the neutral fields of Gibbo.

The tension was there, and DeMbare coach Callisto Pasuwa was expelled from the bench in the second half for arguing with the match officials, the first time that the normally ice-cool gaffer has run into problems with a referee.

But by the time Pasuwa was ejected from the bench in the 67th minute, his troops had already done enough to march into the semi-finals where they will now go as the odds-on favourites to win the BancABC Sup8r Cup.

First half goals from Augustine Mbara and Russell Madamombe, who has found his feet at the Glamour Boys after a poor start and a difficult transition, powered DeMbare to a victory they thoroughly deserved.

In the end, it was sweet revenge for Dynamos, who were beaten 2-3 by the same side during their Castle Lager Premiership clash at Sakubva two weeks ago.

Dynamos skipper, Tawanda Muparati, outstanding throughout the game, was given the man-of-the-match award on a day the Glamour Boys fans invaded this Lowveld town and painted the town blue and white.

“We lost to Buffaloes at their Sakubva venue because the ground was bumpy and we wanted to avoid another defeat. This Gibbo venue is perfect and we played good football and in the end we got the results. We tried to knock the ball around and keep possession,” said Muparati.

It appeared Dynamos were not taking anything to chance as they raced to an early lead when Mbara scored after Clive Kawinga’s effort had been blocked inside the box in the sixth minute.

DeMbare increased the lead 10 minutes later when Madamombe beat goalkeeper Chengetai Tandadzai from inside the box, picking his spot well and drilling the ball home with accuracy, to give his side a comfortable lead within the first quarter of the match.

But Dynamos took their foot off the pedal after taking the lead and allowed the Mutare side to claw back into the game.

A Buffaloes player made an ugly lunge on Morris Kadzola and Pasuwa led his technical team in remonstrating with the match officials and referee Munyaradzi Majome sent the coach to the terraces.

Without technical guidance from their head coach, Dynamos dropped notches, in terms of the quality of their play, and opened a little window of hope for the Buffaloes.

“The problem was that I questioned his decision because my players were being hacked from behind and there was no protection at all from the referee,” said Pasuwa.

“I have been to so many games and my players are being hacked from behind and nothing is done against the other team. I was saying to him, the other team was being protected but my players were not being protected.”

Pasuwa made a direct protest to the assistant referee, who then called the central referee, and Majome initially wanted to give Pasuwa a verbal caution but the fourth official insisted that the coach be dismissed.

“I was just protesting about the treatment of my players but the other official said that I had insulted him,” said Pasuwa.

“But the reality is that I never insulted anyone and that was a harsh decision on me. The referee came and cautioned me but the linesman blew things out. I do not know the reason the linesman wanted to send me out.”

There was also a bit of a drama soon after Pasuwa was sent off when Dynamos actually played the match with 12 men.

As Kadzola was lying injured and being attended to by the medical team, DeMbare introduced Tichaona Mabvura from the bench. As Mabvura went in the substitution board reflected that Kadzola should make room for the midfielder while in fact, the man who came out was Thomas Magorimbo.

After treatment, Kadzola signalled to re-enter the field and Mabvura had already made a few touches. Pasuwa said his team struggled in the second half but was pleased in the end that they had managed to hang on to their win.

“The problem was our back four who were not moving up to the halfway mark and they defending too deep. The opposition were coming to us using that gap,” said Pasuwa.

Dynamos will now meet Shabanie in the next round, with Barbourfields likely to be the venue, and Pasuwa said he was not under-estimating the miners.

“Shabanie are very good side and as you know they have also scored two goals in their game. Cup games are very tricky and the better team that carries their chances will get the result at the end of the day,” said Pasuwa.

“We lost to Buffaloes and we are not underrating any side at all. So we are saying we have to approach every game with the right focus.”

With a little bit of luck, Buffaloes could have surprised their more illustrious opponents as Majega’s effort struck the upright while Prosper Matizanadzo also had a decent chance.

“We had a very poor first half but I think we played well in the second half. With some luck, we could have scored a few goals,” said Buffaloes’ coach Timothy Masachi. He said his side created good chances but failed to find the goal that could have changed the complexion of the game in the second half.

Teams

Dynamos: G. Chigova, O. Mushure, T. Magorimbo (T. Mabvura 68th min) C. Kawinga, M. Kadzola, R. Madamomb (Murape 77th min), D. Chafa, G. Bello, T. Muparati, A. Mbara, P. Khumbula (B. Ziruntusa 52nd minute)

Buffaloes : C. Tandadzai , S. Nkata, T. Ndlovu, P. Alifasi, S. Sibanda, P. Matizanadzo, W. Sithole, T. Mareya (P. Thembani 66th min), J. Muzokomba, P. Chandisaita, S. Nyazima.