Dynamos roar back to life

Ricky Zililo in Bulawayo

Highlanders……………………………………….0

Dynamos………………………………………..(0) 1

JUST when they seemed to have their backs against the wall in recent weeks, champions Dynamos continued with their resurgence when they maintained their dominance over bitter rivals Highlanders yesterday. 

Dynamos have dominated their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League meetings with Bosso in the last seven years and it was a similar tale yesterday as the Harare giants struck a late, late winner that helped them jump two places and bounce back to the top of the log table.

Crucially, the victory over a team widely considered by the Dynamos family as the “real enemy’’ in the race for the championship title, sent a loud statement about Callisto Pasuwa’s intention to secure a hat-trick of league titles.

Yet ironically, Pasuwa had been under immense pressure from Dynamos fans in the last few weeks following a slump in form by the Glamour Boys who only remembered how to win last weekend when they thumped Tripple B at Rufaro.

Warriors left-back Ocean Mushure struck two minutes before time from the penalty spot to decide the latest edition of the Battle of Zimbabwe showdown between the country’s two biggest clubs.

Highlanders have gone for six years without beating the Harare giants in a league match with their last Premiership win over Dynamos coming in Week 17 in 2006 at Barbourfields. In that match, Highlanders won 2-0 and went on to claim the championship.

But the result at Barbourfields yesterday saw Dynamos shooting back to the top of the log from third position.

DeMbare are tied on 48 points with Harare City who beat Buffaloes 2-1 on Saturday, but the Glamour Boys enjoy a superior goal difference over the ambitious Sunshine City Boys.

As he has often done this season, Mushure chipped in the priceless goal which swung the pendulum back in Dynamos’ favour.

Mushure had been brought down by Mthulisi Maphosa in the box and Gweru based referee Thabani Bamala who was close to the action pointed to the penalty spot.

The Dynamos left-back picked himself up to beat Bosso goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya and decide the match that was seemingly headed for a deadlock.

However, referee Bamala seemed to have been overwhelmed by the occasion, failing to take control of the epic clash and in the process he spoiled the flow of the game with questionable officiating.

Both clubs finished the match with 10 players each with Highlanders losing chief striker Njabulo Ncube while Dynamos’ defence stalwart Partson Jaure was also given his marching orders in the 30th minute.

Ncube had unnecessarily retaliated on Jaure after a bad tackle from behind and things almost got out of hand as both players started shoving each other.

A viciously charging Jaure missed the referee with an uppercut that would have left former Pan African World Boxing heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube green with envy.

The defensive stalwart had to be restrained by his teammates with the police moving in to quell the chaos. The game had to be stopped for five minutes.

Ncube could have left the field of play having had propelled his team into the lead, but Dynamos’ goalkeeper George Chigova made a good save in the 13th minute to deny the striker a goal from close range.

A minute later, Boban Zirintusa threaded a defence-splitting pass to Washington Phakamisa, but the Dynamos striker shot wide missing the far post by inches.

Dynamos’ striker Patrick Khumbula also had an opportunity to get his name on the scoresheet but blazed his effort to the stands.

Highlanders should have taken the lead three minutes after half-time when Eric Mudzingwa sent a through pass to Bhekimpilo Ncube, who beat an offside trap and came one-on-one with Chigova only to place his effort wide.

Nine minutes before the hour mark Bhekimpilo saw his header go across the goal line with no takers.

Highlanders had the woodwork to thank as Zirintusa’s header on the hour mark hit the crossbar with Diya beaten clean.

Action then swung to the other side with midfielder Peter Moyo exchanging passes with Bruce Kangwa only for an out of form Masimba Mambare to be caught flat-footed in the box as he failed to tap in the ball from close range.

Highlanders’ coach Kelvin Kaindu was forced to make an injury-inspired substitution in the 78th minute after skipper Innocent Mapuranga picked up an injury after closing in on Oscar Machapa who had roasted the defender turning him inside out twice in the box.

Dynamos gaffer Callisto Pasuwa also bemoaned Bamala’s poor officiating.

“I think the flow of the game was disrupted by poor officiating with most decisions going against us. I am happy with the three points we collected. Our plan was to bypass the midfield and it worked very well. Now that we are at the top of the log, we are going to take each game as it comes with the hope of staying there until the last whistle of the season,” said Pasuwa.

Highlanders’ assistant coach Bekithemba Ndlovu reckoned that they could have come out with full points but were left to rue some missed chances.

“We played well, created lots of chances but missed those scoring opportunities. Sometimes in football you learn the hard way. I think we did everything right except score.

“We are not losing heart on the championship and what we have to do is take each game as it comes. As for beating Dynamos, I would like to think that by the grace of the Lord one day we are going to end this jinx,” said Ndlovu.

TEAMS:

Highlanders: Munyaradzi Diya, Eric Mudzingwa, Bruce Kangwa, Innocent Mapuranga (Hillary Madzivanyika, 80th minute), Dumisani Ndlovu, Mthulisi Maphosa, Peter Moyo, Milton Ncube, Masimba Mambare (Beavan Chikaka, 65th minute), Bhekimpilo Ncube (Gabriel Nyoni 53rd minute), Njabulo Ncube.

Dynamos: George Chigova, Oscar Machapa, Gift Bello, Partson Jaure, Ocean Mushure, Stephen Alimenda, Murape Murape (Victor Kamhuka, 35th minute), Tawanda Muparati, Boban Zirintusa (Simba Sithole, 81st minute), Washington Phakamisa, Patrick Khumbula (Cliff Sekete, 56th minute). The Herald