By Augustine Hwata
Dynamos………………………………………(0) 1
Motor Action………………………………………0
For those who believe in superstition, a bottle filled with urine thrown by a Dynamos fan and later kicked by Washington Pakamisa into the Motor Action goal did the trick in this Castle Lager Premiership match at Rufaro yesterday.
For those who are shrewd tacticians, like Callisto Pasuwa, they will say it was their persistence that finally paid off while Joey Antipas says his charges, featuring a number of young players, paid for a fatal lapse in concentration to concede the goal in the final minute of regulation time.
But for lanky defender Sydney Linyama, it was his belief in himself that made the difference and he said, when he woke up yesterday morning, he felt so good he knew he was in for something special.
Linyama scripted a comedy in the 64th minute when he tried to enter the pitch, from the bench, wearing Boban Ziruntusa’s shirt number 20 and had to be reprimanded by Pasuwa.
But at the end of the day, the former Chicken Inn defender was the hero for the Glamour Boys as he used his height to his advantage to head the ball past goalkeeper Itai Chiwara in the 89th minute to snatch three points for his team.
Motor Action’s Wisdom Mutasa, son of FC Platinum coach Lloyd Mutasa, conceded a silly free kick inside the centre circle when he tugged Tawanda Muparati’s jersey and the referee was spot on to award the foul.
With time ticking away and the match seemingly heading for draw, Dynamos pushed every man into the box and goalkeeper George Chigova whipped a high ball that found Linyama on the right spot, with the lanky defender hanging himself in the air, before directing his effort home.
A few minutes before the goal, a Dynamos fan had thrown a bottle filled with urine towards Chiwara’s goal and Pakamisa, in trying to kick it out of the field, fired it past the goalline into the back of the net.
On the Dynamos bench, team manager Chihoro was also playing similar mind games when he sprinkled some water on the field and their psychological battle, on a day when their forwards had numerous chances, seemed to have been won when Linyama scored.
“When I was sitting on bench, I told the other guys that I should be able to score if given a chance to play,” said Linyama.
“I feel very happy to score my debut goal for Dynamos but I have to work hard and score more. At Chicken Inn, I played as a defensive linkman, so I used to venture forward a bit. I was very comfortable in the box and I know the tricks.
“When I went in, the coach told me to cover the defence because Auga had been pulled out and Thomas (Magorimbo) was supposed to play in leftback so that we maintain shape.
“But deep down I had a strong feeling that I was going to score. I had the good feeling since morning.”
The defeat left Motor Action still searching for survival clues from a tie some neutrals believe they deserved at least a point for their efforts.
Motor Action congested their midfield and gave Dynamos little breathing space such that even Warriors linkman Devon Chafa was completely out of the game and lasted only 30 minutes before he was pulled out.
Dynamos tried to open the basement side from the wings were giant Oscar Machapa whipped in a number of crosses that were, however, wasted by Pakamisa and Patrick Khumbula.
With more precision, Pakamisa could have converted more than three chances while the returning Benjamin Marere never really exploded.
It was the first game for Dynamos since they parted ways with assistant coach Tonderayi Ndiraya, after his fallout with Pasuwa, who felt some of his players had underrated the threat posed by Motor Action.
“I told the guys to change their attitude when we are playing teams that are at the bottom of the log. I reminded them about the game which we lost to Buffaloes because we had carried a negative attitude.
“But the good part of it today was that they managed to get the three points,” said Pasuwa.
Dynamos are now on 35 points, three shy of Harare City, and have dislodged Highlanders from second place on the log.
“The three points are a very good motivation for us because we wanted the points to cover up the gap with the log leaders.
“We are saying there is no more small team in our league and for us to play thinking that they are at the bottom of the log is very dangerous,” said Pasuwa.
Antipas was pleased that his rookies gave a hearty performance although he knows it’s still an uphill task to escape relegation.
“It was unfortunate that the ball rolled into our net and I could say we lacked concentration at the back. We did not deal with that high ball but we are going forward I think we are okay and we should come up with some surprises.
“The guys put up a hearty performance and they gave as much as they got,” said Antipas.
Teams
Dynamos: G. Chigova, O. Machapa, A. Mbara (S. Linyama 64th min), P. Jaure, G. Bello, D. Chafa (B. Marere 30th min), R. Madamombe, T. Magorimbo, T. Muparati, P. Kumbula (F. Mupasiri 71st min), W. Pakamisa
Motor Action: I. Chiwara, C. Dhuwa (W. Musona 46th min), C. Sibanda, D. Walaza, w. Mutasa, C. Kwaramba, Y. Ebabali, G. Moyo, N. Maviri (T. Mandirunga 88th min), T. Mukahlera (S. Hadebe 74nd min), P. Benard
