Harare giants and title contenders Dynamos FC’s head coach Tonderai “Stanza” Ndiraya made history yesterday after his charges completed the team’s first league double over giant killers Bulawayo Chiefs.
Ndiraya became the first Dynamos coach to beat Chiefs home and away since the side earned top flight league promotion back in 2018.
DeMbare who saw off Chiefs 2-0 in the first leg that was played at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo back in March had never beaten the Bulawayo based side twice in one season.
However, yesterday (Sunday) afternoon at the National Sports Stadium (NSS) in Harare the Glamour Boys managed to defeat Chiefs by the same scoreline (2-0) which saw them complete their first league double over the Ninjas in four years.
In 2018 DeMbare won 1-0 in Bulawayo and the other fixture ended in a goalless draw in Harare.
Moreover, the following season Chiefs won 2-0 in another league match then the other encounter ended in a 1-1 draw.
Albeit, goals from midfielder Trevor Mavhunga as well as striker Evans Katema were enough to see Ndiraya’s charges register another 2-0 victory yesterday over the Twitter Boys as Bulawayo Chiefs are also nicknamed.
Speaking to the media after the match, the 20 time champion’s gaffer Ndiraya expressed his delight after his side registered a comfortable 2-0 victory.
“I’m happy for the win, I think that’s what is important now. I said before that we are in a recovery process from a difficult phase that we went through and I’m happy that we are coming out of the phase.
“If we get three wins in a row then I will safely say that we are out of the phase. So I’m happy we won. I wanted us to replicate the performance we had against Chicken Inn (last weekend) but I didn’t get that today (Sunday).
“All the same, I think they (players) put in a very good shift.”
He added: “We were playing a team with no pressure at all and when playing a team with no pressure, they play the way they want.
“But we knew how they played. We had done our research. A direct ball to the three centre forwards, that’s what they were doing the whole game and I’m happy that our defenders managed to contain those long balls though not quite clinical in some instances.”
The win saw DeMbare leapfrog Chicken Inn to assume the second position on the log standings owing to a better goal difference.
Both DeMbare and Chicken Inn are tied on 42 points each after 23 games and are eight points behind log leaders FC Platinum.
Teams
Dynamos: T. Mvula, T. Muringai, P. Jaure, B. Mpofu, F. Makarati (S. Appiah, 45th minute), T. Mavhunga, K. Murera, G. Murwira, J. Makunike (S. Chatikobo, 60th minute), A. Orotomal (E. Paga, 60th minute), T. Makanda (E. Katema, 85th minute)
Bulawayo Chiefs: M. Muleya, B. Nyahunzvi, K. Moyo, E. Chikwende (E. Moyo, 65th minute), F. Moyo, L. Ndlela, A. Masiyiwa (W. Mensah, 87th minute), M. Msebe, H. Chikosa (P. Chikwende, 65th minute), O. Chirinda, F. Matare (D. Arkoli 87th minute)
