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AGELESS Dynamos captain Murape Murape took matters into his hands yesterday when his side needed him most as his solitary goal powered the Glamour Boys to victory in the final of this year’s Independence Cup against rivals Highlanders at the National Sports Stadium.
But as DeMbare celebrated, Highlanders’ coach Kevin Kaindu said he was getting frustrated, with the raw deal he was getting from referees, he was now reconsidering his future in Zimbabwe football and could be going back home to Zambia.
DeMbare, who have had an atrocious start to the season, badly needed something of this sort to lift their spirits after drawing their first four games and coach Callisto Pasuwa was relieved by the silverware ahead of the two teams’ high profile clash on Sunday.
Both sides yesterday rested some of their key players, obviously with Sunday’s contest in mind, and it affected the quality of the game and it was a big yawn, for long periods, short on substance and long on aimless balls that missed their targets.
Highlanders enjoyed the upper hand early on but in the end had only themselves to blame as they missed a series of chances.
A dreadful error by their ‘keeper Arial Sibanda led to the only goal of the match and Bosso, who finished the match with 10 men following the expulsion of their striker Njabulo Ncube later in the second half, were also left bitter with the referee’s decision to disallow what looked like a genuine goal by Beavan Chikaka in the 35th minute.
Chikaka, too, would produce a shock miss, with the ‘keeper beaten, in the dying moments of the game.
But apart from the controversies, both teams looked determined and Dynamos should have left the stadium with much comfort following a crisis meeting that was held this week seeking to turn around the team’s fortunes.
Their coach Pasuwa made a number of changes to his side by giving new defender Byron Madzokere and former CAPS United forward Clive Kawinga a run in the starting line up while the likes of Partson Jaure, Cliff Sekete and Thomas Magorimbo watched from the terraces.
But Highlanders were strong early on despite starting with some of their players like Mthulisi Maphosa, Innocent Mapuranga, Masimba Mambare and Njabulo Ncube on the bench.
Bosso created several chances in the first half and could have taken the lead in the 35th minute when the DeMbare defence made a half clearance from a corner kick which Chikaka controlled and drilled home from close range.
However, the nearside assistant referee Edgar Rumeck had his flag up for off-side.
It looked a bad call and television replays confirmed that Bosso were unlucky not to be given the goal their dominance deserved.
Bosso dominated the early exchanges and they won a freekick just outside the Dynamos penalty box after nine minutes which Lawson Nkomo blasted into the wall.
They were back again two minutes later when Cleaopas Dube found an opening and unleashed a low shot that was punched back into play by goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi before Madzokere cleared the lines.
DeMbare made a counter attack but midfielder Tichaona Mabvura rifled his effort over the bar. Highlanders kept coming and Kangwa twice shot wide midway through the first half.
But it was Murape, full of running on the afternoon, who made the difference when he capitalised on a defensive blunder by the Bosso rearguard in the 41st minute to give DeMbare the impetus.
Goalkeeper Sibanda mistimed a high ball into his area and Murape, who was lurking in the penalty box reacted fast to bury the chance into an empty net, the ball, hit from an angle hitting the right upright before turning home.
But Sibanda had done well two minutes earlier when he denied DeMbare the lead from a Kawinga dipping shot which he tipped over the bar for a corner.
DeMbare received a trophy and US$10 000 for winning this year’s competition while Highlanders took home US$8 000.
Pasuwa was happy with his side’s victory and said he was hoping the win would spur them on to improve their game.
“In every game that we have played we are playing to win and I’m glad that we won today (yesterday). But if you look at our previous games we were very unfortunate in terms of shooting at goal but today we came out right,” said Pasuwa.
“Like everybody else we were under pressure, the players and myself, and I think winning this game will ease the pressure for us ahead of the next game against Highlanders on Sunday.
“We will have to see at the training session tomorrow (if we are making any changes to the team).”
Kaindu felt that his team was cheated because of the goal that was disallowed.
The Zambian mentor, who was recently ejected from the bench by the referee for remonstrating in a league match, also complained that he was being unfairly treated by the match officials and threatened to quit football in Zimbabwe.
“The decision of the referee obviously influenced the result of the game. I thought we had scored a genuine goal and I just want to say I think I am having a problem now to coach in Zimbabwe because every time I try to ask, I am being told the same thing that I will go to the stands.
“I think I have done something (good for the game). I came to improve football in Zimbabwe but the referees are not giving me the platform. When somebody complains there must be something wrong.
“I did not complain when they disallowed a goal but I thought so many times we were not given the decision but the moment I say something they send me out. I think it’s being unfair honestly.
“Now I am begging to give instructions to my team. Honestly, I came here to improve football but if I continue being handled this way I would rather leave and go back to Zambia,” said Kaindu.
The Bulawayo giants had to finish with 10 men as their striker Njabulo Ncube, who was a 70th minute substitute, was sent for an early shower after head-butting Dynamos defender Gift Bello in an off-the-ball incident barely six minutes after he came on.
Kaindu, however, was satisfied by his team’s performance and was worried by their failure to put away the chances that came their way.
Meanwhile, in the third place and forth playoff, Chicken Inn beat Monomotapa 3-0 in Bulawayo yesterday.
Teams:
Dynamos: A. Mukandi, D. Chafa, A. Mbara, G. Bello,B. Madzokere, S. Alimenda, M. Murape (T. Muparati, 72nd minute), T. Mabvura, B. Zirintusa, C. Kawinga (W. Pakamisa, 51st minute), A. Tavarwisa
Highlanders: A. Sibanda, L. Nkomo, H. Moyo (M. Mambare, 52nd minute), B. Tshuma, D. Ndlovu (I. Mapuranga, 56th minute), S. Munawa, K. Mutizwa (N. Ncube 70th minute), B. Kangwa, H. Madzivanyika, B. Chikaka, C. Dube.
Online Reporter