Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
Editor
DO you know that if you combine the points tally of Dynamos and CAPS United, so far this season, the two giants will not be placed in the TOP FOUR of the Premiership table?
Let’s call their united team DemKep!
That team will have 19 points (the 10 from CAPS United and the nine from DeMbare).
Those 19 points will take DemKep to the same points tally as Herentals who finished better than both Dynamos and CAPS United in the championship race last year.
The united team will still not displace the Students from fourth place.
Why?
Simply because Herentals will retain fourth place because of a superior goal difference.
What?
Yes, the very team who have been mocked by some people for having an attack led by Innocent Benza, who celebrated his 54th birthday yesterday, have as many goals as the combined efforts of Dynamos and CAPS United.
Herentals have 11 goals while DemKep will also have 11 goals.
Of course, there will be those who will point out that three of the Students’ goals came from the boardroom after they were handed a walkover, on a 3-0 scoreline, after Kwekwe United failed to fulfill their fixture.
But, after the same Kwekwe United were handed a four-goal whipping at the hands of MWOS, Herentals can argue that they would even have scored more if that game had gone ahead.
The same Kwekwe United, who have conceded 26 goals, came to Rufaro and held Dynamos to a draw. Herentals will retain their fourth place because they will have a superior goals difference (+4), after conceding seven goals, while DemKep will have a goal difference of minus 11 (nine goals scored and 18 goals conceded).
DeMKep will still trail leaders MWOS by seven points and trail Scottland by four points.
Maybe, it was fitting that the first edition of this season’s Harare Derby had to end in a draw.
It’s the first Harare Derby which has been fought while the two giants were stuck in relegation trouble.
DeMbare went into the Derby in 16th place while Makepekepe were just a place above them in 17th place.
This means that both sides were occupying places which, in the event they end up occupying those slots at the end of the season, they will both go down into Division One.
Of course, the season is still in its infancy and just two or three wins by the two giants will make a big difference.
The challenge, though, is that they are both finding it difficult to win matches.
New DeMbare coach Saul Chaminuka, in his first game in charge of the Glamour Boys, will take the point as a step in the right direction.
Chaminuka was thrust into the DeMbare hot seat after Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe was fired last week following a string of poor results.
In his first game in charge, Chaminuka ended his team’s lengthy wait for a goal when inspirational captain Emmanuel Jalai, who has been in the form of his life, converted from the spot early in the season half.
To be fair to both giants this was a Derby which, for a refreshing change, gave the fans something to cheer about.
CAPS United coach Ian Bakala replaced Lloyd Chitembwe two weeks ago.
Sunday’s game meant that this was a unique Harare Derby which was featuring coaches who were experiencing the big game for the first time.
Some analysts, though, will argue that the status of the Derby has been reduced by the way the two giants are struggling so far this season.
