admin
Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2)2
Harare City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1
DYNAMOS had nerves and played without authority but they were still smarter in this victory that kept them in the race for the Castle Lager Premiership football title.
First half goals by Ralph Kawondera and Emmanuel Paga that sandwiched Donald Mudadi’s consolation for Harare City won it for the Glamour Boys.
The Harare giants cut the gap between themselves and leaders FC Platinum to six points as the Zvishavane side had stretched the lead to nine 24 hours earlier with a win of their own against Manica Diamonds.
Probably they had the pressure to cut that gap and it was showing throughout the match as they played second fiddle to their opponents in all but one aspect of the game.
The good thing is that the Tonderai Ndiraya charges were still effective enough to grind the result.
With eight games still to be played in the marathon, Dynamos retained a chance of winning the title with this win although the destiny of the crown doesn’t entirely depend on them.
Ndiraya said his boys weren’t at their best as they had a lot of pressure given their competitors FC Platinum had played and won a day before.
“I think, firstly, it’s quite difficult to play matches after your rivals (FC Platinum) have played.
“It put a lot of pressure on the team and everyone else so (given FC Platinum had won), it was a must three points for us in this game,” said Ndiraya.
“I am glad we got the three points. We didn’t play beautifully so to speak because of the circumstances that I have mentioned.
“The players had so much pressure and some of them were not handling that pressure well.
“That is the reason why we were not really settled throughout the match.
“I must also give credit to Harare City, they kept on pushing us, pushing us against the wall.
“But in the end, I think it was resolute defending which won us the game.
“But I am not entirely happy with the way we defended, that’s not us.”
Dynamos showed much hunger in the opening moments of the match as they probed their opponents who continue to languish in the deeper end of the log.
But their opening goal wasn’t entirely out of their brilliance.
Harare City goalkeeper Tawanda Dendera made a howler 13 minutes into the game, coming out of his line and failed to fist the ball away.
And amid the confusion in the box, the ball fell generously for Kawondera who clipped it home.
But 12 minutes later, Mudadi took advantage of DeMbare’s ineffective defending, ghosting from the far post to draw the scores level.
The Taurai Mangwiro-coached side should have taken the lead half-an-hour into the game but Wilfred Muvirimi failed to beat the crossbar having eliminated Dynamos goalminder Taimon Mvula.
That allowed Dynamos to push more and they got the lead with Paga tapping in Tinotenda Muringai’s low cross.
The Glamour Boys failed to stand toe-to-toe with their opponents from then on till the last whistle.
They appeared content sitting back and repelling everything thrown at them by Harare City, who played with vigour and conviction.
And Dynamos simply passed the defending assignment to keep their hopes of winning the title alive.
Mangwiro was disappointed but isn’t despairing yet.
“The first goal we conceded was a howler and the second was again from a standard situation.
“I think we are missing it by leaking goals. The fact that we conceded two goals doesn’t tally with the manner we were controlling the game,”said Mangwiro.
“The unfortunate part is it has always been like that throughout the season and I see the team sinking deeper which is a cause for concern.
“But we shouldn’t despair, we will keep on pushing.”
Teams
Dynamos: Taimon Mvula, Partson Jaure, Stephen Appiah (Emmanuel Jalai 38min), Frank Makarati, Godknows Murwira, Emmanuel Paga(Evans Katema 78min), Trevor Mavhunga, Keith Murera, Tinotenda Muringai, Ralph Kawondera(Stephen Chatikobo 78min), Alex Orotomal (Tinashe Makanda 58min)
Harare City: Tawanda Dendera, Emmanuel Ziocha (Timothy January 46min), Brighton Banda (Tendai Mukono 46min), Innocent Zambezi, Zvikomborero Biseki, Donald Dzvinyai, Wilfred Muvirimi (Alex Zimunhu 77min), Stanley Masukuta, Obert Tafira, Donald Mudadi(Emmanuel Zinyama 64min), Hastings Chapusha
Online Reporter