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Three marshals were arrested by the police and were still detained at Mbare Police Station last night.
Head coach Nation Dube and his assistant Manelo Njekwa had a physical confrontation with the Dynamos marshals in what could be a case of superstition in the prematch rituals.
Hwange team manager Tennant Chilumba is away in Zambia and the absence of the trio left kit manager Andrew Zulu and fitness trainer Kenneth Nyape to take over the coaching duties after a 45-minute delay.
Hwange were the first to arrive at the stadium and changed from the visitors dressing room, ready for a warm up while Dynamos were still outside the stadium.
As Dynamos came in, Dube and Njekwa who were idling in the corridor are alleged to have moved to either side of the walls so that the DeMbare players had to pass between the two.
But the Dynamos players stood still and refused to proceed, insisting that the Hwange coaches should both make room by standing to one side of the wall.
However, the Hwange coaches insisted that they had made way for their hosts and during the standoff, the marshals allegedly shoved them against the walls.
During the scuffles, Hwange players fled from their dressing room and refused to go for warm up.
Police then came in and picked up the marshals but Dube and Njekwa maintained that they could not continue with game as they were in pain.
Match commissioner Wilfred Mukuna, the fourth official Nkanyiso Moyo, the police details, PSL official Cuthbert Mutandwa, Hwange secretary Burzil Dube and Hwange Colliery’s managing director Fred Moyo and the Dynamos chief security officer were then locked in a meeting as the Hwange players refused to warm up.
During the drama Dynamos players took to the field and warmed up along the match officials while Hwange stood still.
Dube and Njekwa were escorted to hospital before play could resume after Hwange secretary Burzil Dube had written a letter of protest.
“We should have called off the game because our coaches have been assaulted. This is intimidation and this is not good for football,” said Dube.
Moyo then intervened and ordered his players to proceed with the game as the largely Dynamos fans were now getting restless and impatient.
The situation threatened to get out of hand as some fans threw missiles when the Hwange players entered the field for a belated warm up.
But away from the drama, Dynamos striker Takesure Chinyama returned to his scoring ways when he struck what could be a contender for the top goal of the season and also created two for his side.
The big striker, who opened his league account with a hattrick against Hardbody before weighing in with a goal in their 4-1 win over Black Mambas, was yesterday at the end of a pass from Tawanda Muparati to sink a beauty from the box.
Muparati beat his marker on the left and then laid for Chinyama who had his back towards the goal but somehow managed to turnaround and rifle past Hwange goalkeeper Petros Mhari in the 29th minute.
The fine goal could have captured the imagination of former South African coach and now Orlando Pirates scout Stanley “Screamer” Tshabalala who was watching the game.
Pirates are the latest team to stalk Chinyama as he had been outstanding for Dynamos since his return from Poland.
Chinyama’s goal came after Dynamos had taken the lead through Roderick Mutuma who finished off a pass from Denver Mukamba in the ninth minute.
Hwange players Aaron Katebe and Eric Chipeta failed to communicate and allowed Mukamba to gain possession before finding Mutuma to drill from close range.
Chinyama manufactured the third goal when he beat two defenders and then squared for Mukamba to score with a simple effort.
The giant striker Chinyama returned to haunt the coachless Hwange in the 56th minute when he controlled the ball before spotting Mutuma to finish off the move.
But despite being four goals down, Hwange continued fighting and reduced their arrears in the 63rd minute when Chipeta’s free kick beat Washington Arubi.
Hwange continued searching for more goals and were just let down by poor finishing in the final quarter as they exposed the Dynamos defence with a fine passing game.
The coal miners clearly lacked the leadership from the bench as Nyape and Zulu barely gave any instructions to the players.
Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa was a worried man despite the win as his defence appeared shaky.
“The defenders were leaving the ball and it was not good. The guys loitered with ball, we even went to sleep after scoring four goals. Due to complacency, we allowed Hwange to score those two goals,” said Pasuwa.
Teams
Dynamos: W. Arubi, D. Chafa, T. Magorimbo, D. Mukamba, T. Muparati, M. Murape (T. Mabvura 60th min) O. Mushure (G. Magariro 64th min), G. Zhokinyi, P. Jaure, R. Mutuma (M. Vengesayi 71st min) T. Chinyama
Hwange: P. Mhari, E. Chipeta, D. Boriwondo, R. Chinyengetere, F. Zikumbawire, D. Kamunhenga, W. Mhango, A. Tavarwisa (T. Mamina 82nd min), G. Ndlovu, A. Katebe, F. Vimisayi (G. Zulu 67th min)
Online Reporter