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Eddie Chikamhi, Senior Sports Reporter
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 (1)
DYNAMOS caretaker coach Lloyd “Mablanyo” 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 and Gamecocks’ skipper Xolani Ndlovu.
Yesterday’s defeat followed a 2-1 loss to CAPS United in the Harare Derby last weekend.
And as has become the trend lately, Dynamos are conceding in the last 20 minutes of the game, and the goals are coming from set-pieces, something that has left Mablanyo 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 set pieces, 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 to bitter rivals CAPS United after conceding an 86th minute goal that was nodded home from a free-kick.
Dynamos deserved at least a point from their performance yesterday but their defensive frailties from dead ball situations were exposed yet 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 set-pieces,” said Chigowe.
Dynamos remained ninth on the log standings with 38 points while Chicken Inn moved one place up to sixth with 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 pushed 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 on the wide 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 early on.
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 late on, the visitors ensured they collected maximum points thanks to Ndlovu’s strike after substitute Genious Mutungamiri 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 had 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.
Online Reporter