Online Reporter
Tatenda A. Matanga
ONCE again Dynamos are the Chibuku Super Cup winners – their third success story in this tournament on the bounce after winning it in 2023 and 2024.
The Glamour Boys struck late at Gibbo on Saturday with a wonder goal from Enasio Perezo Jnr to beat Triangle 1-0 and secure the Cup.
DeMbare have now won the tournament twice on the home turf of their opponents in the final – Ngezi Platinum Stars and Triangle – and once at Rufaro in the past three seasons.
Here are the FIVE standout moments from Gibbo:
THE COMMITMENT OF JALAI
Deep into the first half, Dynamos captain Emmanuel Jalai attempted to dribble past a defender, but came into contact with his rival’s outstretched leg, which sent him flying into the air and heavily onto the ground. Jalai grimaced in pain as Dynamos fans feared another casualty just a few minutes after goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa had been stretchered off to hospital. Eventually, Jalai rose from the stretcher on the pitch side but evidently in pain. The referee gave the signal for him to return, he limped back onto the pitch. 
The Dynamos fans shuddered to cheer, they could see the boy could not last much longer. But the captain soldiered on, knowing in his handicapped state, his presence would inspire the team to greatness. Amazingly, he lasted the full match, but evidently not at his usual dynamism. But his presence alone, kept Triangle conscious of the little man-mountain on the field. Never-say-die spirit from Mr Hybrid.
THE CRUCIAL GOAL-SAVING BLOCK BY ABEL GWATIDZO
A Triangle attack on the right saw one of their strikers find himself clear on goal. The Dynamos goalkeeper had been exposed and it would be virtually impossible to save a shot from that range. The striker took a powerful shot but defender Abel Gwatidzo somehow threw himself to block the shot. Tafiremutsa heaved a huge sigh of relief as did the DeMbare players and fans. It was such an important block Gwatidzo’s colleagues mobbed him for the commitment.
THE INSTINCTIVE WORLD-CLASS SAVE BY PRINCE TAFIREMUTSA
Triangle launched one of their attacks wide on the left channel and a cross found the menacing Munashe Bamara. Without hesitation, he deftly side-footed the ball towards goal and the Triangle fans, in slow motion, rose in anticipation of a goal. Goalkeeper Tafiremutsa appeared to have committed himself to the left but, in a split-second, flung himself to his right, his outstretched hand making contact with ball right on the line. The ball looped high into the air and Tafiremutsa forced himself to rise again to prevent the ball from going in. His motion was a second behind a Triangle striker who threw himself to head the ball in. Miraculously, the looping ball was cleared overhead by the boot of Ghanaian defender Issaka Mohamed missing the head of the striker by a whisker. Tafiremutsa came out injured from the melee and had to be rushed to hospital, but he left a huge mark on the course of the match.
THE BAMARA-PIO MIDFIELD BATTLE ROYALE
It turned out to be a battle of the Number 6s, a battle of the unsung heroes and a battle of the short men. On one side Bamara, with grace of Farai Mbidzo and Mtshumayeli Moyo, while on the other, Pio with the grit of Leo Kurauzvione and Lloyd Chitembwe the player. The two players fought hard and long to outdo each other. When one was in attack, the other was on his toes, when one was receiving the ball, the other was in the shadow.
The two man fought a midfield battle fitting of a cup final. Admittedly, Bamara edged out Pio in this personal battle, though Pio will claim he prevailed because his team won the match. Whatever each man will claim, this was a classic one-on-one midfield battle that was a throwback to the battles of Mucherahowa/Mugabe and Majabvi/Rambanapasi.
THE HIIGH-DEFINITION GOAL BY ENASIO PEREZO (JNR)
With Triangle dominating play and probably most DeMbare fans praying for a penalty-shootout, a rare Dynamos foray in attack saw the ball straying just outside the penalty area. Perezo advanced towards the ball, his body facing the left corner flag. His cultured left foot hit a high curling shot that dipped just at the right moment over a fully stretched keeper and into the net. For a moment, the keeper rose from his dive very much dazed, maybe thinking the ball had ricocheted on the post as he vainly attempted to push it away from the line. But the roar from the crowd reminded him the ball was already coming out from the nets. By that time, Perezo had finished half of the length of the pitch in wild celebrations. What a worldie, a goal for the archives and worthy of winning any Cup final.
- Tatenda A. Matanga is a freelance journalist based in Harare
