DeMbare on top

Harare Bureau
Dynamos 3-1 Harare City
Dynamos’ new striker Anesu Gondo grabbed a brace as the defending champions got it right at home for the first time in the domestic competition with a comfortable win which compounded rivals Harare City’s woes at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
The Harare giants needed to soak early pressure from their opponents before arm-twisting Bigboy Mawiwi’s side into submission later in the second half, with substitute Walter Mukanga killing off the game in the 81st minute and taking DeMbare to the top of the table.

Gondo, who arrived at Dynamos a virtually unknown entity despite having played for the now defunct Tripple B and Extension Gunners in Botswana, has always shown some promise and yesterday he gave his coach Callisto Pasuwa what he has been crying for.

Pasuwa was increasingly getting worried with his strikers’ form after the forwards had fired blanks in 270 minutes of league action in their opening three league matches.

The three-time winning coach was also keen to see his team start picking maximum points at home as they had not managed to win at the giant facility in local competitions since they relocated from Rufaro Stadium at the beginning of the season.

The DeMbare players yesterday responded positively and it took the stocky forward only three minutes to register his name on the scoresheet before returning to restore DeMbare’s lead with a 74th minute strike after Nathan Ziwini had cancelled out the opener.

Gondo, who missed the first two Premiership matches against How Mine and ZPC Kariba before getting his chance last week in the 3-1 win at Bantu Rovers where he played the whole match, repaid the faith shown in him by the coach when he was given another starting place ahead of Patrick Khumbula, Simba Sithole and Farai Mupasiri.

The former Tripple B man headed Dynamos into the lead when he rose to plant a firm header from a corner kick taken on the left flank by Thomas Magorimbo.

However, it did not take long before Harare City restored parity through their inspirational captain of the day, Ziwini. City also hit back from a set-piece, after getting a freekick wide on the right when Tafadzwa Rusike fouled Martin Vengesai in the 12th minute.

Ziwini found himself virtually unmarked and reacted swiftly as he placed the ball beyond the reach of the goalkeeper after pouncing onto the freekick dropped inside the box by Munyaradzi Nyenye.

From then on it was anyone’s game as both teams came close with some good chances but the score remained level at half time.
Ziwini, Vengesai and Crybert Muvuti saw most of the ball for City while Tafadzwa Rusike, Washington Pakamisa and Gondo had a good day in office. DeMbare midfielders Ronald Chitiyo and Devon Chafa struggled with their game and the coach had to pull them out in the second half and replacing them with Mukanga and Russel Madamombe.

Pakamisa’s work rate was excellent although most of the times he would run out of ideas when in possession of the ball.
City however looked more threatening going forward as Dynamos relied on occasionally pumping long balls upfront where the twin strikers Pakamisa and Gondo were doing well to keep the ball.

Vengesai’s shot almost deceived the Dynamos goalkeeper when it took a deflection off a City player and bounced off the woodwork just two minutes after they had found the equaliser.

William Manondo then forced a good save from Mukandi who did well to tip the ball over the cross bar in the 21st minute as DeMbare defended the corner well.

But City collapsed in the last 15 minutes of the game when Gondo powered his way past two defenders, Arnold Chivheya and Crispen Dickson, and placed the ball to the left of advancing goalkeeper for his second goal.

Mukanga then put the game beyond reach when he raced down the right channel to meet a through ball which he fired into the bottom corner.

This was City’s fourth defeat in a row as they remained trapped at the bottom of the log table with pressure mounting on coach Bigboy Mawiwi.

Teams
Dynamos: A Mukandi, T Magorimbo, A Mbara, P Jaure, T Ndlovu, S Alimenda, D Chafa (W. Mukanga, 51st minute), R Chitiyo (R Madamombe, 70th minute), T Rusike (B Amidu, 87th minute), A Gondo, W Pakamisa

Harare City: J Nomore, M Nyenye, T Chiworeso, C Dickson, A Chivheya, J Jam, W Manondo, N Ziwini, M Vengesai (O Mukuradare, 84th minute), C Muvuti (M Mburayi, 53rd minute), P Bhamusi (T Chawapiwa, 83rd minute)