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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
Dynamos . . . . . . . (0)1
How Mine . . . . . . . . . 0
DYNAMOS coach Tonderayi Ndiraya admitted that he will probably sleep better after seeing his charges beat How Mine at Rufaro yesterday to progress to the semi-finals of the NetOne Easycall Cup. After his side had gone for 360 minutes of action without victory, Ndiraya said their failure to win matches was now a cause for concern for everyone in the team. The Glamour Boys now join rivals CAPS United, Chicken Inn and Highlanders in the last four of the $433 000 soccer tournament. Dynamos’ last victory was against Chicken Inn who they beat 1-0 in the league on September 27 and they went on to draw with Harare City (0-0) and Flame Lily (1-1) before they were beaten 1-2 by Harare City in the Chibuku Super Cup final.
Last weekend they posted another draw against CAPS United in a Harare derby. However, all that was forgotten yesterday afternoon when defender Ocean Mushure scored from the penalty spot three minutes after the restart after Masvingo referee Jimmy Makwanda had adjudged that How Mine defender Victor Kamhuka had fouled Mushure in the box.
And Ndiraya heaved a huge sigh of relief after Mushure’s solitary goal ended his side’s winless run of four matches. “Of course, after such a run you are relieved as a coach to finally get a win and I think it’s not for the coach, but the players as well . . . we had gone for four games without winning and we finally tasted victory
“I wouldn’t say we were so much under pressure to win, but of course we play each and every match to win and if it doesn’t happen, it then becomes a cause for concern. “We were all concerned in the team but then finally we are here. We had to work for it and we won after such a good fight. It wasn’t really a beautiful game but such are the Cup games.
“We had gone for four matches without a win which is quite unusual for us as Dynamos Football Club. It was a difficult run and I am glad it has come to pass,” Ndiraya said. The former Dynamos midfielder, however, believes that generally they were the better team of the day in yesterday’s match. “I thought we really deserved the win. We fought hard and created more chances than them.
“We were in control perhaps for 75 percent of the game. Of course they (How Mine) have good, quality players and at some point I thought they were also in control of the game but I thought overall we were quite better,” he said. The Dynamos gaffer said they are not worried about who they would be drawn against in the semi-finals.
“We are prepared to face any of the teams that are still in this competition. At the moment the main objective is to progress to the final. “We knew the opponent we were going to play against, they are quite a difficult team and we knew we were going to have a very difficult afternoon. But I am glad we got the result we needed to progress to the next round,” said Ndiraya.
The youthful coach said he is optimistic that they will also do well in the remaining league matches and maybe challenge for the championship which is no longer in their control.
“This win will give us more confidence going forward and this will only spur us to do more,” said Ndiraya. How Mine coach Jeremiah Makota also rallied behind his charges although he said they were poor in the last third. He chose not to blame the referee’s decision for the penalty which won the day for Dynamos.
“The boys played very well and we were just unfortunate to concede that penalty. A referee is a human being and is bound to make mistakes but I am not saying he made mistakes, it was a penalty and they scored. “Overall, the guys played very well from the back, in the middle of the park and in the front that’s where we fell short but they did their best. The Cup, it has come and gone.
“As for now we need to concentrate on the league considering we are in the relegation zone. It is a poor season, we expected better from what we are doing at the moment,” said Makota.
Dynamos veteran defender Mushure, who showed strong intent from the onset and could have got an opener when twice he got set pieces at the edge of the box only to be denied by woodwork and the outstanding How Mine goalkeeper Donovan Bernard, said they worked for the victory.
“We worked as a team to progress and we have to work hard again in the semi-finals and reach the final. “As one of the senior players, the spotlight falls on us when things are not going on well in the team and if we just relax, the young players will also do the same, so today I was in a no-nonsense mood and wanted the team to win.
“I had pressure taking the spot kick but as a regular penalty taker, the pressure won’t be too much. He (Kamhuka) hit me on the ankle when he wasn’t supposed to do so and we got the penalty,” said Mushure.
Teams
Dynamos: T. Mukuruva, G. Murwira, O. Mushure, A. Mbara, E. Muroyiwa, S. Alimenda, C. Rusere (W. Mukanga 64th minute), B. Moyo, R. Chitiyo, R. Kawondera (K. Bulaji 64th minute), T. Chinyama (F. Mupasiri 77th minute).
How Mine: D. Bernard, T. Kumbuyani, N. Mukumbi, V. Kamhuka, M. Gutu, D. Chafa, H. Masuku, T. Masuku, T. Muparati (T. Marere 63rd minute), M. Sibanda (M. Mupera 75th minute), K. Musharu
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