dyton mupawaenda
Veronica Gwaze-Sports Reporter
FOR Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe, Dynamos’ second-half collapse, en-route to a first Harare Derby defeat in five years on Sunday, evoked memories of the horror of his team’s elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup.
CAPS United fought back to erase a first-half deficit and score twice in the second half and beat their biggest rivals in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Rufaro.
The Green Machine won 2-1.
Former Dynamos forward, Jayden Bakare, who came in as a substitute, and veteran forward, Rodwell Chinyengetere, scored the goals which powered Makepekepe to victory.
For MaBlanyo, who was unbeaten on the domestic front since taking over as DeMbare coach, this felt like the defeat to Orapa United, which knocked them out of the CAF Confederation Cup.
“I hate losing, especially in a derby, no one wants that,” he said.
“The feeling I have right now is exactly what I felt when we fell out of the Confederation Cup, it is indescribable.
“I had faith in the team and even told them that they had all it takes to make it to the next round but, unfortunately, some things just go beyond the coach’s control.”
He added:
“What happened today just took me back to Botswana, how things unfolded there really broke my heart and I believe that had (Sadney) Urikhob been available, it would have been a different story.
“Urikhob would have taken us into the next round in the Confederation Cup and even here today, I know that had he been available, he would have made a difference. We had the chance to score goals in the first half but we failed, some of the situations I know he would have been put to good use had he been there.
“His injury left us bleeding, he was supposed to be our ticket to greater heights at CAF.”
The Namibian forward, together with defender Kevin Moyo, picked up injuries during the preliminary round clash against Zambia’s ZESCO United.
While Moyo is back, Urikhob, who briefly featured in some of their local fixtures recently, is yet to return to full fitness.
“He has an exceptional work rate and I believe it has taken him this far,” said MaBlanyo.
“Remember before the season started he was one of the players who had ‘failed’ to impress us and we almost declined taking him on board.
“However, I am happy because instead of letting that negatively affect him, it instead gave him the zeal to push harder and now we can see the results.
“His seniority in the game also makes him the perfect man whenever it is a high stakes fixture for us.”
MaBlanyo said Urikhob is one of the hardest workers at the club.
Dynamos use the GPS tracking vests.
“He is always one of the top performers, if not the best, in most cases, according to the vests’ statistics,” said MaBlanyo.
“Sometimes even when he is substituted you note that his statistics may even be higher than someone who played a full 90 minutes. “He also has good runs and positioning ability so I always wish him to be available on any day but injuries are part of the game so we will just monitor him until he is back to his form.”
Online Reporter