DeMbare show no mercy…. crush How Mine

By Ricky Zililo in BULAWAYO

How Mine . . . . . . . . . . . 0

Dynamos . . . . . . . . . (4) 6

Dynamos blew wind into the sails of their ship in their search for a fifth league title in three years with a demolition of a hapless How Mine in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields yesterday.

DeMbare capitalised on How Mine’s in-house problems that saw senior players embarking on industrial action over wages, forcing the gold miners to field a weakened side for yesterday’s encounter.

How Mine fielded only three regular first-team players —Mukundika Sakala, Marvelous Mukumba and Toto Banda.

They were without goalkeepers Donovan Bernard and Munyaradzi Diya, left-back Brian Mbiriri, central defender Kudzai Chideu, utility players Tsepo Ranthokoane, Milton Ncube and Frank Makarati, midfielders Timothy January, Pasca Manhanga, Peter Moyo and Adolf Muganyi as well as striker Kuda Musharu.

The victory saw Dynamos dislodging FC Platinum from third place on the league table despite the sides being tied on 42 points.

DeMbare have a better goal difference and two games in hand over the platinum miners.

The visitors kept their cool and ignored the How Mine strike that overshadowed the build-up to the match and displayed a business-like performance against the gold miners’ fringe players.

The visitors forced five corner kicks inside the opening 25 minutes and were duly rewarded for their persistence in the 25th minute when Denver Mukamba capitalised on a Nelson Tachi miscue to fire past How Mine ‘keeper Future Sibanda.

Gift Saunyama doubled Dynamos’ lead 11 minutes later by getting to the end of a sizzling build-up that started with pint-sized midfielder Cleopas Kapupurika, leaving a number of How Mine players for dead.

He delivered a cross into the box that Mukamba dummied. The ball fell to Christian Epoupa Ntouba, who laid it into the path of an onrushing Saunyama, whose first time grounder beat Sibanda.

Epoupa scored Dynamos’ third goal from the penalty spot in the 38th minute after Tachi hacked Kapupurika inside the box.

The Cameroonian international completed his brace on the stroke of half-time with a grounder to send DeMbare’s fans into frenzy.

How Mine, who went into yesterday’s game without training, couldn’t cope with the Dynamos’ raids and paid dearly for failing to clear a 63rd corner kick, leaving defender Lincoln Zvasiya to hit the net from the blind side.

Three minutes later, Mukamba grabbed his brace with a grass cutter after being up set by Peace Makaha.

“This is our highest win of the season and the positive thing is that we didn’t concede. This victory pushes us into the mix and if we continue winning, we will have our destiny in our hands,” said DeMbare coach Lloyd Mutasa.

How Mine coach Kelvin Kaindu described yesterday’s post-match conference as “one of the most difficult” in his career.

“We laboured to get the required seven players required by FIFA to play a match and having not trained coming into the game made it difficult.

“Honestly sitting on the bench and seeing six goals going past your ‘keeper isn’t good. Imagine the humiliation. The issue of using these youngsters really backfired and as a coach I want to protect the integrity of the sponsors, but the record will stay.

“No one will remember that we lost having gone for the game without training,” Kaindu said.

Regarding the strike, Kaindu said: “I’m not the spokesperson of the club, but what I can say is things haven’t been easy for most of the clubs.

“We appreciate sponsors for coming on board, but don’t know what tomorrow will be. I also appreciate the way the boys have played for the club and I think the pressure of being responsible people with families got the better of them.

“The tricky thing is I don’t know who will be in when we play our next game at the weekend.’’

How Mine play Bantu Rovers on Sunday.

Teams

How Mine: F. Sibanda, T. Chanengeta, B. Banda, M. Sakala, N. Tachi (P. Tonha, 58th min), M. Mukumba, T. Banda, G. Nguwodzawo, N. Ndlovu (69th min), T. Makanda, K. Muronza

Dynamos: T. Mateyaunga, P. Makaha, P. Dube, L. Zvasiya, O. Mwerahari, T. Chipunza, G. Saunyama (G. Mukambi, 75th min), C. Kapupurika (59th min), M. Mandiranga, C. Epoupa (Q. Kangadze, 73rd min). The Herald