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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
Dynamos………………………………………. (2) 2
Buffaloes …………………………………………….0TWO first half goals by Dynamos were enough to send the Zimbabwe champions into the semi-finals of the rich BancABC Sup8r Cup at Gibbo Stadium in Triangle.
A seventh minute strike by Augustine Mbara and Russell Madamombe’s header in the 16th minute condemned the Eastern Highlands team to defeat against Dynamos and ensured the Harare giants got their revenge after losing to the same opponents in the league 11 days ago.
Led by captain Tawanda Muparati who was also man-of-the-match, DeMbare were unstoppable in the first half and threatened to run riot in front of goal. Had it not been for many glaring chances missed in front of goal, fans could have witnessed a plethora of goals’ in the first half.
Devon Chafa, Muparati, Ocean Mushure and the improved Madambombe combined well and were the main force behind DeMbare’s triumph.
Buffaloes goalkeeper Tondodzai Chengeta almost gifted DeMbare with a goal when he failed to deal with an otherwise harmless cross from Madamombe in the third minute but luckily, he spilled it outside to give the Glamour Boys a corner.
However, it took the Harare giants seven minutes to draw first blood when they scored through Mbara with a header after a good build up from the back having been started by the evergreen Chafa.
After the goal Dynamos looked more dangerous with Patrick “Mboma” Khumbula causing all sorts of problems on the right flank.
In the 11th minute captain Muparati made a solo run gliding past three defenders but was brought down on the edge of the box to earn DeMbare a freekick which was however blasted over the bar by Madamombe.
In the 17th minute Madamombe made it 2-0 to put the game beyond Buffaloes’ reach.
Play was briefly stopped after DeMbare goalie George Chigova was injured as he tried to deal with an overhead effort from Wonder Sithole on 23 minutes.
The best chance for Buffaloes came in injury time of the first half but Wonder Sithole was too slow and was fouled in the process. He had the chance to bring his team back into the game but his effort from the freekick went wide.
In the second half DeMbare continued from where they left but were subdued by the now more determined Buffaloes.
In the 59th minute Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa was given his marching orders after remonstrating with the referee.
In the 71st minute, Buffaloes nearly scored when Admire Dzumbunu got loose on the left flank, flighted a cross which Sithole failed to convert.
Buffaloes tried hard to come back from behind but they found the Dynamos rearguard hard to penetrate as the defending champions opted to spend the last quarter of the match defending the Buffaloes onslaught.
After the match the Dynamos team manager Richard Chihoro praised his charges for winning the match adding that it was a sweet revenge.
“Buffaloes beat us 3-2 in a league match a fortnight ago and we wanted to revenge. This is a sweet revenge for us and we are happy to proceed to the quarter-finals.
“We know Shabanie Mine who we are meeting in the next round are a good team but we take every game as it comes,” he said.
Buffaloes coach Timothy Masachi said DeMbare played better in the first half and utilised their chances.
“We lost the match in the first six minutes when DeMbare scored. We played badly in the first half but my boys played well in the second, however, we failed to score.”
Teams
Dynamos: G Chigova, M Kadzola, O Mushure, G Bello, A Mbara, D Chafa, T Magorimbo, T Muparati, R Madamombe (M Murape 89th minute), C Kawinga, P Kumbula (B Zirintusa 53rd minute).
Buffaloes: T Chengetai, S Nkata, S Chandisaita, P Ndlovu, P Matizanadzo, P Alferi, W Sithole, T Mareya (T Phillip 69th minute), J Muzokomba, S Sibanda (M Mageja 79th minute), S Nyamuzima
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