adminMidlands Correspondent
Chapungu 1- 0 Dynamos
CHAPUNGU registered a famous victory when they edged defending champions Dynamos one nil at Ascot Stadium in Gweru yesterday.
A 25th minute strike by Talent Mwale ensured that the airmen collect their first set of maximum points at home, in the process consolidating their unbeaten home record.
However, the victory was marred by a minute of madness when two Chapungu players were given straight red cards in separate incidents.
Courage Muzire who had come in the 67th minute for captain Callisto Maheya was the first to see red when he assaulted Stephen Alimenda in an off-the-ball incident.
Barely a minute after Muzire made his way to the dressing room, Rodwell Mhlanga who had been terrorising the visitors’ defence all afternoon was soon to follow following a dangerous tackle again on Alimenda.
The match started with Dynamos dictating the pace but failing to find any clear cut scoring chances as the Chapungu rearguard stood firm and never showed any respect to their more experienced opponents.
Dynamos’ first real chance of the match was to come in the 16th minute when they won a corner and Tafadzwa Rusike whipped it in finding the hosts’ defence at sea but long serving Chapungu defender Johnson Mabhugu was on guard to clear the ball to safety.
After absorbing the Dynamos pressure Chapungu began to move out of their cocoons and could have found an opener in the 23rd minute when a Maxwell Mavhuto corner kick eluded George Chigova and fell on the path of Mhlanga.
The Chapungu forward however, failed to connect and missed the target for a goal kick.
Chapungu were to gain the advantage two minutes later when a Mabhugu clearance was miscued by a Dynamos defender and fell on Maheya who laid the ball to an unmarked Mwale who made no mistake from close range.
The goal seemed to spur “Waru Waru” on as they knocked the ball around with aplomb after that.
However, their territorial advantage was cut shot when Dynamos almost drew level in the 32nd minute when Oscar Machapa gained possession in his own half and raced along the touchline before cutting in a cross which was met by Anesu Gondo.
The former Tripple B forward who was Dynamos’ two-goal hero last Sunday in their 3-1 win over Harare City saw his header going agonisingly wide with Chapungu shot stopper Alexander Useni a beaten man.
There was little action thereafter with little goalmouth action as Chapungu seemed comfortable going to the breather with their one goal advantage.
The second half started with Dynamos making their intentions of looking for an equaliser clear, probing the hosts rearguard in the first three minutes after the breather.
After failing to achieve the desired break, Callisto Pasuwa made a double substitution in the 48th minute bringing in former Monomotapa playmaker Ronald Chitiyo and gangly forward Patrick Khumbula for Machapa and Farai Mupasiri respectively to reinforce the attack.
The substitution almost paid dividends five minutes later when Khumbula got to the end of a Partson Jaure cross but his header was cleared from the line by the Chapungu defence.
After that the match became a seesaw affair with action swinging from one end to the other but with little goalmouth action.
John Nyikadzino, the Chapungu coach, was over the moon.
“Like I said in the run up to the game, Dynamos is a big club and I came up with special tactics for this game and I am happy it worked out. I also want to credit my boys for putting up a brave fight,” he said.
His counterpart, Pasuwa, described the game as his side’s worst away performance.
He said: “This is our worst away performance as we allowed Chapungu space in the midfield and hence we were punished. We are now going back to the drawing board and prepare for our next match against Buffaloes.”
Teams:
Chapungu: Alexander Useni, Johnson Mabhugu (Gift Phiri 58 min), Charles Murisa, Collen Kwaramba, Blessed Mbavarira, Ngonidzashe Murisa, Maxwell Mavuto, Talent Mwale, Rodwell Mhlanga, Calisto Maheya (Courage Muzire 46 min), Farai Manase (Hillary Mugoniwa 46 min)
Dynamos: George Chigova, Thomas Magorimbo, Partson Jaure, Themba Ndlovu, Stephen Alimenda, Walter Mukanga (Rusell Madamombe 65 min) Oscar Machapa (Ronald Chitiyo 48 min) Farai Mupasiri (Patrick Khumbula 48 min), Anesu Gondo, Tafadzwa Rusike
Online Reporter