Dynamos in perfect homecoming show

Tadious Manyepo in Harare
Herentals………………..(0)1
Dynamos…………………(0)2

DYNAMOS put together a hearty second-half performance to dispatch Herentals in this absorbing Premiership win at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.

The Glamour Boys, limping from their painful exit from the Caf Confederation Cup in Botswana last Sunday, needed a solid mentality to get some local solace.

And that’s exactly what they threw into this one, Donald Mudadi clipping a brace, both assisted by substitute Emmanuel Ziocha to ensure DeMbare’s arithmetic but faint chances remained floating.

Dynamos fans didn’t come in their usual numbers in apparent doubt of their team’s capacity to dislodge their bogey opponents but those who came got real value for their effort and money.

It was a second half pregnant with what has been missing in the entire league; flowing passes, exceptional transitional play, good shooting and equally good saves from either side.

It was a game that could as well have ended in a share of the spoils had Herentals been clinical after halving the deficit through Dreamer Liyeto.

But in the end, it was Dynamos who pocketed the maximum points to take their tally to 38 points with two outstanding matches on the leading pack where pace-setters Simba Bhora have 58 points.

Yet the game started rather slowly and the first half was as uninspiring as it was cold and an average fan might as well have taken a nap and still miss nothing.

Herentals were the better side in that opening phase though Clemence Gobvu getting a good chance inside 10 minutes but slicing the ball wide while the Students forwards failed to convert an inviting outside-of-the-boot free kick by Innocent Benza.

At the other end, Mudadi drove a ferocious shot from the margin of the box but Nedrick Madeya dived well to save the effort two minutes after the quarter-hour mark.

With both teams paying much of their attention to avoid conceding, the game was confined to the middle of the park with insignificant action in the opposite third.

Then the game opened up in the second period.

Herentals were supposed to be the ones opening the scoring but Gobvu rather failed to direct his head down after coming to the end of a perfect Tafadzwa Jim cross just two minutes after the restart.

And Ziocha’s party was well on its course as he switched flanks with so much intelligence and doing wonders in either axis.

With Herentals failing to nip him down, the former Harare City man was always going to pounce.

And he then kick started the party with 35 minutes still on the clock.

Receiving a gliding pass from Emmanuel Jalai, Ziocha coolly trapped it and locked inside before laying a sound cross that Mudadi turned in.

The two would combine again with three minutes still on the clock, Ziocha cutting from the left this time around and lofting a cross which Mudadi headed in.

Herentals got the consolation almost instantly, Liyeto diverting Milton Chimedza’s shot beyond Martin Mapisa to force a nail-biting finale.

“It was a good game of football from the lads and it really put us in a very good space,” said Dynamos coach Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe.

“It makes us look forward to the next game. It’s a good result for us. We should have won it in the first half but our boys were hurrying a lot of passes.

“But I am happy we made the right adjustments.”

His Herentals counterpart Paul Benza was naturally disappointed.

Meanwhile, at Luveve Stadium, Arenel Movers and Hwange played out a goalless draw which did not favour either club in the fight for survival in the Castle Lager Premiership.

The home team created more chances with Zibusiso Dambo, Dalubuhle Dlodlo, Lucky Nyathi and Toto Banda taking turns to fluff chances after some promising build ups.

On the other end Hwange’s Dominic Chungwa blew a glorious chance after Arenel defenders played a casual back pass which found him on his toes.

After controlling and in sight of goal, the big striker whose father Petros was a Wankie defender in the 1980s, made a mess of the glorious opportunity.

There was not much to write home about as Arenel who dominated play failed to ease their cause in the relegation zone with numerous chanes they created.

Hwange defended well with Raymond Uchena and Kelly Shiyandindi with Sherpard Gadzikwa working himself to standstill in midfield with Winston Mhango.

Arenel’s Nyathi was a constant threat all afternoon.

It was a smooth sailing match well handled by Nelson Meki who was ably supported by Brilliant Sibanda and Melusi Ncube.