Online Reporter
Curtworth Masango and Tadious Manyepo
Dynamos will reflect on a Premier Soccer League match they could have won by a far wider margin. Yesterday, they settled for a 3-0 victory over Triangle at Rufaro Stadium, effectively wrapping up the contest in the first half before easing off after the break.
First-half goals from captain Shadreck Nyahwa, Christopher Nettey and Leeroy Mavhunga proved sufficient to secure all three points.
Dynamos came into the match on a six-game winless run, having suffered defeats to CAPS United and Chicken Inn and played out four draws against FC Platinum, Scotland, ZPC Kariba and Herentals.
Nyahwa opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a powerful long-range strike that left Triangle goalkeeper Panashe Nyabunga with no chance. Nettey then doubled the lead with his first league goal for Dynamos following a neat exchange with Jairos Kasondo. Mavhunga added the third in the 22nd minute after being set up by an unselfish pass from Perfect Chikwende in another well-worked attacking move.
Triangle had an opportunity to pull one back late in the first half when Jayden Bakari tested Dynamos goalkeeper Makoni, who responded well. Makoni had earlier tipped a dangerous delivery away from the top corner in the seventh minute and later dealt with a threatening effort from Emmanuel Paga just before the interval to preserve his clean sheet.
The second half produced limited goalmouth action. While Triangle showed improvement after the break, Dynamos still created the clearest chance when Chikwende was fouled in the box in the 74th minute. However, Kasondo failed to convert from the penalty spot, sending his effort wide.
Dynamos head coach Genesis “Kaka” Mangombe said he would want to see his side capitalise on their chances.
“I am happy. But at the same time, if you can score many goals in a game like this, you need to capitalise on the chances you get. Maybe we should have scored maybe five goals. But at the end of the day, what is important is three points.”
Mangombe said his players executed the game plan well, particularly in the first half when they effectively settled the match.
“The boys played very well. According to our game plan, it came up well because we said we need to finish off this game in the first half. I am happy that we managed to defend those three goals in the second half.”
He also pointed to improvements in defence, especially in dealing with set-pieces, which had previously troubled the team.
“The major weakness we have was conceding silly goals from the crosses, from the corner kicks, which we tried and worked on at training. And today I am happy that there was no danger on that one.”
Triangle head coach Lloyd Chitembwe acknowledged that his side’s approach in the opening stages had been below par, despite an improved showing in the second half.
“The application was not on point, but later on improved, I saw it in the way the team performed in the second half. At first we missed the fight, there was some instances they looked uncomfortable. In these matches it took a lot of mental strength from players, they are the kind of games that make heroes and villains. Today we were not heroes,” he said.
Dynamos will now turn their attention to their away fixture against Hardrock at Chahwanda Stadium.
Meanwhile, Ralph Kawondera was once again on target, scoring his eighth goal of the season from the penalty spot as Herentals edged MWOS to keep pace with the Premiership’s leading pack.
The Herentals captain calmly converted from the spot early in the first half, sending MWOS goalkeeper Tedious Baye the wrong way to secure what proved to be the decisive goal at Ngoni Stadium.
Herentals, one of the most in-form sides in the league, arrived in Norton with a clear game plan under coach Paul Benza. They applied early pressure but were met with organised resistance from the MWOS defence, marshalled by Innocent Zambezi, Reginald Chinemo and Valentine Katsande, who had just been recognised as the club’s Fans’ Player of the Month for April.
Despite holding firm during the initial exchanges, MWOS were undone when Dreamer Liyeto broke through and was brought down by Baye, resulting in the penalty that Kawondera converted. The goal lifted Herentals to sixth place on 22 points, five behind leaders Hardrock.
MWOS had hoped to build on their spirited 2-2 draw against CAPS United just days earlier, but this time they were unable to turn their efforts into points.
