Inconsistency haunts Makepekepe, Bosso as DeMbare marches on with wins

It was a weekend of joy for Harare giants Dynamos FC who recorded their fifth win on the trot by beating Black Rhinos 2-1 at the National Sports Stadium.

However, it was gloomy for the country’s other two most supported clubs CAPS United and Highlanders. Makepekepe lost 1-2 to Tenax SC and Bosso drew 0-0 with Triangle United.

The win for Dynamos propelled the Tonderai Ndiraya coached side to second on the log standings as the ongoing 2021/22 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign entered into week 10 over the weekend.

Fondly known as DeMbare by its faithfuls, the team closed the gap to one point behind the current log leaders Chicken Inn who played to a 3 all draw with Manica Diamonds on Saturday.

DeMbare’s goals came from their regular goalscorer the Ghanaian international star Emmanuel Paga who gave them the lead with just 48 seconds into the match.

Paga’s header with one minute into play courtesy of Brendan Mpofu’s cross gave the home side the lead but the visitors restored parity in the 31st minute.

It was the army side’s defender Blessed Mbavarira who initially had failed to convert the same penalty in his first two attempts as the referee called for retakes twice before the player finally scored through his third attempt.

The match then went into half time in a 1-1 draw but this was before DeMbare’s in-form teenage sensation Bill Antonio (19) snatched it for the Glamour Boys.

Antonio created his way past into the box after dribbling past three defenders and fired his hard and low shot into the near post to beat the exposed Blessing Mwandimutsira.

“That was magic. We know what the boy can do. He is a good dribbler and I think he has shown that today. So dribbling and you mix that with his pace then you get what you want in a striker,” Ndiraya said after the game.

“But for him to have done in a central position which we have switched him to was quite surprising. He normally does that on the wings but he did it from the centre.

“I think the game was headed for a draw and the boy had to do what he had to do for us to get maximum points. This is what we expect from all our players. When you play for this team.

“You have to do some things out of what you have been directed to do by the coach. So I am quite happy for him and his teammates for the way they have supported him over the past few months. But I think I can sum it up in one word, which is ‘Magic’. That was magic from Bill Antonio,” said Ndiraya.

His opposite number, Rhinos coach Hebert Maruwa said “It was a good show from the boys. I think they did very well after conceding an early goal we managed to come back into the game and do well especially in the last minutes of the first half. They were coming hard on us but we managed to contain them.

“We failed to defend well towards the end of the game. I think we gave too much room for the youngster (Antonio) and he managed to score with the only chance he got,” said Maruwa.

However, while DeMbare celebrated their ecstatic win which came through a last gasp strike by Antonio, things were not the same for their two city and traditional rivals CAPS United and Highlanders respectively.

Both Makepekepe and Bosso have so far proved to be inconsistent in their past few league games.

CAPS United only managed three wins, five draws and two defeats in all its last ten games leaving the team seated seventh on the log table with 14 points, seven behind log leaders the Gamecocks.

Whilst Bosso has so far registered three wins, four draws and three defeats after the same number of games and are on ninth position, a single point behind CAPS and eight behind the Gamecocks.

It was the league’s leading goal scorer William Manondo who scored in the 10th minute to put Makepekepe in front against Tenax SC at Sakubva Stadium yesterday.

But his goal was in vain as Tenax turned the tables and later snatched a 1-2 victory courtesy of Joel Munsaka and Takunda Mapara’s respective goals in both halves.

Meanwhile, Bosso who had made a visit to Gibbo Stadium to square off with Triangle United yesterday afternoon returned home with a point after the two played to a goalless draw. Nehanda Radio

Below are this past weekend’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League results:

Saturday full time results

Chicken Inn 3-3 Manica Diamonds
FC Platinum 1-0 Whawha FC
Cranborne Bullets 2-1 Bulawayo City
ZPC Kariba 2-1 Harare City

Sunday full time results

Triangle United 0-0 Highlanders FC
Tenax SC 2-1 CAPS United
Bulawayo Chiefs 1-1 Ngezi Platinum Stars
Dynamos FC 2-1 Black Rhinos FC

Teams

Dynamos: T. Mvula, T. Muringai (E. Jalai, 69th minute), F. Makarati, S. Nyahwa, G. Murwira, T. Mavhunga, S. Chatikobo, B. Antonio, B. Mpofu, E. Paga (K. Murera, 87th minute), E. Katema (I. Sadiki, 57th minute).

Black Rhinos: B. Mwandimutsira, P. Makaha, F. Banda, G. Madhake, C. Kwaramba, B. Mbavarira, A. Phiri (D. Mutudza, 87th minute), G Mleya (A. Gahadzikwa, 72nd minute), K Madera (P. Gwevha, 72nd minute), T. Nyamandwe (E. Ilunga, 72nd minute), S. Murove,