admin
Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) 2
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Dynamos newboy Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo was in sparkling form as he ran the show at Rufaro to steer the Harare giants to a deserved victory over old rivals Highlanders in the Bob 90 Super Cup final yesterday.
DeMbare put behind them the disappointment of their elimination from the Champions League as they rose to maintain their seven-year dominance over a new-look Highlanders side that had new players in their starting line-up.
Chitiyo scored a spectacular goal in the second half and had another controversially disallowed for off-side later in the match after fellow newboy Masimba Mambare had put the Glamour Boys in the driving seat in the 32nd minute.
The victory was a relief for Dynamos who received US$45 000 for winning the trophy again this year. DeMbare were the holders of the trophy and they appeared to have a formula yesterday as they successfully defended the title against the same opponents they beat last year.
Bosso for their efforts walked away with US$25 000. The Bulawayo giants had beaten Harare City 2-1 in the semi-final to book a date against their old foes but they failed to rise to expectations despite huge expectations on the strength of their new squad.
Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu started with four new signings in his line-up as he threw into the fray Mamelodi Sundowns bound Zimbabwe international midfielder Kuda Mahachi, Valentine Ndaba, Charles Sibanda and Felix Chindungwe.
But the visitors found themselves trailing just after the half hour mark after their former player Mambare who crossed the floor to join their bitter rivals in January gave DeMbare the advantage.
Mambare had the easiest task on the afternoon when he intercepted a poor pass from Bosso’s new defender Chindungwe and placed the ball beyond the reach of advancing goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya.
Chindungwe made a terrible mistake inside the box when he threaded a ball in the path of the DeMbare player and Mambare grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he came face to face with the badly exposed goalkeeper.
It was more of a lucky goal but it went a long way to tip the scales in favour of DeMbare who enjoyed the support of the majority of home supporters as the opening minutes of the game had appeared evenly balanced.
Bosso had the first shot at goal as early as the fourth minute after Charles Sibanda beat Partson Jaure on the right flank and released Mahachi on the edge of the box. The former Chicken Inn man however, was a bit slow as impressive Dynamos defender Sydney Linyama slid in to block the effort for a corner. Their finishing was always going to be tricky as they started without a natural striker, with Gabriel Nyoni and Ozias Zibande only coming in later in the second half.
Mambare then hit the side net following a fine move involving DeMbare’s lone striker Clive Kawinga. Dynamos were surging forward with Kawinga ever unpredictable until he was taken out after pulling a muscle at the re-start.
Highlanders goalkeeper Diya did well in the 22nd minute when he left his line and punched back into play Mambare’s long range effort from a short corner that also involved the impressive Chitiyo.
Then Chitiyo, who was clearly the best player on the park, was rewarded for his industry with a well struck effort just two minutes after the half time break.
Chitiyo’s swift magical feet left the near capacity crowd at Rufaro on the edges of their seats as the former Monomotapa talisman appeared too hot to handle in the middle of the park.
Pasuwa is finding real value in the investment they made in the player who was voted man of the match and won US$500. Chitiyo crowned a fantastic afternoon when he beat his man on the left flank and took the chance himself with a rising shot that took a slight deflection off a Highlanders player and nestled into the roof of the nets.
The Dynamos coach is however, not getting carried away with the win.
“We were compact in the midfield and in terms of aggression we were on top of them. But remember we have been playing in the Champions League and in terms of conditioning we are above Highlanders. So we wouldn’t gauge much on their performance today (yesterday). We will see when we start playing our games in the league.
“Winning the cup is a motivating factor for us. We played in DRC last week and we didn’t score but today we came and scored two goals which means probably we are improving,” said Pasuwa.
Chitiyo could have celebrated a brace in the 61st minute strike which looked genuine but far side assistant Stella Ruvinga had raised her flag up for offside. The Dynamos players protested the decision by the match official’s decision stood.
Then referee Brighton Chimene denied Highlanders what appeared a clear penalty two minutes later, as if to cancel out the earlier mistake, when Erick Mudzingwa had ventured forward and was fouled inside the box as he prepared to take a crack at goal.
Bosso coach Kevin Kaindu attributed the defeat to some “mistakes’’ by his team.
“Football is a game where you can make a mistake and we don’t blame anyone. I think we made a mistake when we conceded the first goal and maybe it also made a difference in terms of the opponents being geared up. But the second goal was a great goal. I think any goalkeeper could have failed to stop that goal,” said Kaindu.
“I think we did not play according to the plan. In the second half we tried to come into the game and I think the only chance we got was when we got into the box and we thought we got a penalty but it was not given. Maybe the referee was near and I think he saw that it was not a penalty then from there we lost a bit of concentration and confidence in ourselves,” said Kaindu.
Teams:
Dynamos: G. Chigova, T. Magorimbo, O. Mushure, S. Linyama, P. Jaure, S. Alimenda, W. Mukanga, M. Mambare (A. Gondo, 85th minute) O. Machapa (C. Sekete, 71st minute), R. Chitiyo, C. Kawinga (F. Mupasiri, 46th minute)
Highlanders: M. Diya, Mudzingwa, B. Kangwa, M. Ncube (O. Zibande, 69th minute), I. Mapuranga, F. Chindungwe, M. Maphosa, P. Moyo (W. Ndiweni, 55th minute), C. Sibanda, V. Ndaba (G. Nyoni, 51st minute), K. Mahachi
Online Reporter