Chronicle Editor
Eddie Chikamhi, Senior Sports Reporter
Dynamos 0-1 Chicken Inn
DYNAMOS caretaker coach Lloyd Chigowe yesterday said his side paid dearly for their defensive lapse after losing a rescheduled Castle Lager Premiership match against Chicken Inn at Rufaro.
The Glamour Boys fell to a 71st minute free-kick by defender Xolani Ndlovu.
And as has become the trend, they are conceding in the last 20 minutes of the game and from setpieces, something that has left the coach a worried man.
“It was an evenly balanced match. I think both sides played well but Chicken Inn took their chance and they got the three points,” said Chigowe.
DeMbare have conceded three of their last four goals from setpieces, beginning in Botswana where they lost the decisive Caf Confederation Cup match against Orapa United after failing to defend from a late free-kick. The same situation haunted them last week when they gave away a first-half lead to lose the Harare Derby 2-1 to bitter rivals Caps United after conceding an 86th minute goal that was from a free-kick.
Dynamos deserved at least a point from their performance yesterday but their defensive frailties from deadball situations were exposed again when Chicken Inn skipper Ndlovu took a low shot that found a gaping on the wall and beat goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa.
“It’s clear we defended poorly from that free-kick,” said Chigowe.
“It’s unfortunate the goals are coming in different forms. The other time it is headed goals and this time it’s a direct goal. The direct goal took us by surprise because we worked on it. When it’s a free-kick you must put a wall and the wall must block the ball. But if the wall opens up then that’s a basic error.
Unfortunately we have to go back again and work with the guys to make sure that we don’t continue conceding from setpieces,” said Chigowe.
Dynamos remained ninth on the log standings with 38 points while Chicken Inn moved one place up to sixth on 42 points.
Their coach Joey Antipas was excited by the win although the match did not have substantial consequences on the log standings, as they push for a top four finish.
“I thought it was a good win.
“We played a solid game and in the first-half I thought we should have been at least two-nil up. We missed some opportunities but that’s the nature of the game. The guys who came in the second-half did very well. So we are happy with the three points and we look forward to our next game against TelOne,” said Antipas.
Dynamos dominated the early exchanges but it was Chicken Inn who came close first and goalkeeper Tafiremutsa did well to block Brian Muza’s close range header at the back post from a cross flighted in by Michael Charamba wide on the right flank.
However, Chicken Inn were forced to make an injury-inspired substitution in the 27th minute withdrawing Muza who appeared to have problems with a pulled muscle earlier on. Brendon Rendo came in for him.
Dynamos enjoyed a slight edge in the early exchanges with Valentine Kadonzvo mesmerising his markers with his quick footwork on the wings. But they could not fashion out clear-cut scoring chances.
Chicken Inn could have broken the ice towards the half-time break but were denied by the woodwork after Elshamar Farasi’s header ricocheted off the upright with goalkeeper Tafiremutsa unable to get his hand on the ball in a desperate dive.
DeMbare suffered an injury blow early in the second-half when Donald Dzvinyai went down with a suspected shoulder injury and was replaced by Tendaishe Magwaza.
Both teams returned for the second-half a bit flat but after working out a mix of substitutes later on, the visitors ensured they collected maximum points thanks to Ndlovu’s strike after substitute Genious Mutungammiri was brought down at the edge of the box.
There was a brief stoppage soon afterwards as players scurried for cover after tear smoke from outside the stadium affected the players.
When action resumed, Mutungamiri forced a good save from Tafiremutsa with a long-distance strike as Chicken Inn threatened to get the insurance goal.
Referee Jimmy Makwanda added nine minutes to compensate for the second-half stoppages and DeMbare could have salvaged the game with the very last kick of the match but substitute Elton Chikona blasted his effort on the crossbar unmarked inside the box following a defensive mix-up in the Chicken Inn box.
Teams:
Dynamos:
PrinceTafiremutsa, Donald Dzvinyai (T. Magwaza, 57th min), Nomore Chinyerere, Frank Makarati, Kelvin Moyo, Temptation Chiwunga, Valentine Kadonzvo, Tanaka Shandirwa (A. Musiyiwa, 85th min), Emmanuel Ziocha, Donald Mudadi, Issa Sadiki (E. Chikona, 71st min)
Chicken Inn:
Donovan Bernard, Xolani Ndlovu, Mpumelelo Bhebhe, Itai Mabunu, Dominic Jaricha, George Majika (G. Mutungamiri, 70th min), Michael Charamba (I. Mukombwe, 80th min), Elshamar Farasi (M. Feldman, 70th min), Arthur Chinda, Malvin Whata (A. Nyamutsaka, 80th min), Brian Muza (B Rendo, 27th minute).
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