adminHarare Bureau
Dynamos……(1) 1
Motor Action…….0
SOMETIMES football can be cruel and the better team of the day does not necessarily win the match.
Defending league champions Dynamos yesterday put up one of their most lethargic performances this season but still rode on their good luck to beat the Mighty Bulls who still believe they should have earned at least a point from the encounter.
Motor Action will curse the football gods and say if they were fair, then the Mighty Bulls deserved three points.
But Dynamos are also smiling at the same deities for consolidating their position at the top of the league to 52 points as second placed Highlanders kept the heat on with a 1-0 victory over Shabanie in Bulawayo yesterday.
Dynamos, who produced a scrappy display, will be a little worried about their show although it still gave them a wake up call as the league championship race moves a gear up.
Pressure in now mounting for Dynamos since they shot to the top of the log as they battled to beat Harare City in a league match and had to beat Quelaton on penalties in the Mbada Diamonds Cup first round.
Yesterday, striker Roderick Mutuma scored the invaluable goal when he headed in a high ball whipped into the box by Denver Mukamba from the left in the 37th minute.
Mutuma, winner of the Golden Boot last season, has now scored seven league goals. He said: “It’s more about team work and I am not looking at the Golden Boot.
“If I had not scored, someone else would have done the job.
“I knew what Denver was going to do it once he got into that position.
“He has been doing that at training and the coaches told us to get into the box each time Denver gains such a position.
“We have been doing that at training and today it has paid off.
“Dynamos are the champions and we have to play as a team to win the retain the championship,” said Mutuma.
Denver Mukamba beat Motor Action rightback Passmore Benard on the far left and Mutuma was quick to react as headed past Ronald Mudimu despite the close attention of Morris Kadzola and Reuben Machaya.
Earlier on Motor Action had created the better chances as they were first to the ball in midfield where Dynamos’ Tawanda Muparati was lost on the left side.
Muparati usually plays as a central midfielder, but Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa was yesterday forced to make changes to his injury plagued squad as he gave Desmond Maringwa, Milton Makopa, David Kutyauripo and George Magariro places in the starting line up.
The quartet were making a return to the team as Pasuwa desperately went for experienced legs.
Maringwa, who is the team’s captain has been getting cameo roles, while vice skipper Magariro was providing cover for the suspended Patson Jaure and Guthrie Zhokinyi.
Kutyauripo has lost his position to Thomas Magorimbo while Makopa has been fighting a chest infection.
Of the foursome, only Kutyauripo played well while Maringwa, Magariro and Makopa were rusty and allowed Motor Action to boss the champions around in midfield.
Deservedly the trio were pulled out but it was Motor Action who were left to rue their lost chances.
Motor Action could have take the lead in the 22nd minute when Yves Ebabali, Ngoni Maviri and Protasho Kabwe beat an offside trap and charged towards the Dynamos goals.
Zhokinyi saved the day when he thwarted Ebabali’s effort for a corner kick while Dynamos also had their moment in the 29th minute when the lively Kutyauripo made an strong run on the right and then cut in a cross for Denver Mukamba who tried to connect first time.
While Mukamba’s idea was fine, he lacked precision as the ball whistled over the bar with Mudimu beaten.
Mudimu, however, was well alert when he collected a low shot by Martin Vengesayi following a counterattack in the 31st minute and the Motor Action goalkeeper was again called to make a superb save and deny Maringwa what could have been a goal in the 33rd minute.
Dynamos’ resilience was rewarded when Mutuma got to the end of Mukamba’s cross but at that stage of the match, Motor Action faithfuls hoped they had a chance to save the game in the second half.
Former Dynamos forward Norman Maroto was brought in to add to the firepower but still the Bulls lacked both composure and precision on the final ball.
It became nervy towards the end of the match as Motor Action threw everything at DeMbare but the Harare giants survived the scare until the final whistle.
Motor Action manager Joey Antipas still gave credit to his players for fighting hard.
“We threw everything at Dynamos. We created enough chances, we got into the box.
“I thought at least we deserved a goal but I must give credit to Dynamos for defending hard,” said Antipas.
Dynamos assistant coach Tonderayi Ndiraya admitted that it was not an easy victory.
“I thought Motor Action gave us a good run and we have always played close encounters against them.
“I am glad at the end of the day we got the three points we wanted. It was a nervy ending and our guys stood their ground,” said Ndiraya.
Ndiraya believes they struggled because of injuries and changes to the team but he hopes the team keeps working hard in their next match against Chicken Inn on Wednesday.
Teams
Dynamos: G. Chigova, D. Kutyauripo, O. Mushure, G. Zhokinyi, G. Magariro (G. Bello 54th min), R. Mutuma, D. Maringwa (M. Murape 75th min), M. Makopa (T. Mamvura 81st min), D. Mukamba.
Motor Action: R. Mudimu, I. Masame, P. Benard, B. Chimwamuchere, M. Kadzola, E. Tembo, Y. Ebabali, M. Mburayi (N. Maroto 71st min), P. Kabwe, R. Machaya, N. Maviri (M. Ncube 78th min).
Online Reporter