Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze, Zimpapers Sports Hub
Yadah 1-1 Dynamos
IT was an afternoon of nerves, noise, and narrow escapes at Ngoni yesterday as Yadah and Dynamos traded late goals in a tense relegation scrap that left both sides clinging to faint survival hopes.
Added time strikes from Evans Rusike and Issaka Mohamed summed up the desperation on both benches. For Yadah, the 1-1 draw kept them in 17th on 35 points, while Dynamos inched to 38, still hovering dangerously close to the drop zone.
Yadah coach Brenna Msiska was left visibly dejected after watching his side’s slim survival chances slip further away.
“We are now in a very compromised position,” he admitted.
“I don’t know what exactly will happen, but our last game is now a must win.”
Dynamos, though slightly better placed in 13th, are not yet safe. Another draw in their final outing might still save them, depending on other results.
From the first whistle, both teams charged forward with raw intent, throwing themselves into every challenge and chasing every half chance. Dynamos almost grabbed an early lead in the fifth minute when Abel Gwatidzo’s cross found Frank Agyemang, whose header rattled the bar. Vusa Ngwenya’s follow up was also blocked before Tellmore Pio blasted the rebound over.
That close shave pushed Dynamos to tighten up, pulling more men into defence as Shadreck Nyahwa and Pio dropped deep to fortify the backline. But that meant fewer bodies upfront, leaving their attacks sporadic and blunt.
Yadah nearly punished them midway through the first half when Shingai Masukuta rounded goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa but somehow missed an empty net. Dynamos responded with sustained pressure, forcing their former goalkeeper Taimon Mvula into several smart saves.
By halftime, the scoreboard remained blank, though the tempo never dropped.
After the break, Yadah took control, stringing passes and pressing high, yet still failing to carve out clear openings. Msiska shuffled his pack in the 68th minute, introducing Francis Mustafa, Vincent Sango and Evans Rusike in search of goals.
The substitutions injected urgency, and Yadah kept Tafiremutsa busy. But disaster struck in the 77th minute when Mustafa went down injured, leaving Yadah with 10 men after Msiska had used all his changes.
Still, they refused to fold. Deep into stoppage time, a swift counter saw Rusike outpace Tendaishe Magwaza and fire beyond Tafiremutsa for what looked like the winner.
Dynamos hit back immediately. Barely a minute later, defender Issaka Mohamed rose highest to head home a Temptation Chiwunga corner, silencing the Yadah fans and salvaging a precious point for the Glamour Boys.
For Msiska, the draw felt like a defeat.
“Conceding at the death of such a well played game is something I was not expecting, and it’s very disappointing,” he said.
“Even with ten men, we stayed composed and played as a unit until that lapse at the end.”
Despite remaining unbeaten since taking over, Msiska knows time is running out.
“I haven’t lost a game since I took charge,” he added.
“Although the points are coming late, I just want to finish the season with a clean record.”
Dynamos coach Kelvin Kaindu hailed his players’ resilience.
“This was my toughest game since joining the team,” he said.
“It was very intense and the pressure was too much, but I’m proud of the boys’ character. To concede in added time and still equalise within minutes shows real determination.
“If we had been more clinical, we could have won it earlier, but I won’t fault them. They fought hard in attack and defence, and there are plenty of positives to build on.”
Teams
Yadah Stars: Taimon Mvula, Mandlenkosi Mlilo, Anotidaishe Gwatidzo, Terrence Maguranyanga, Aaron Dzangai, Innocent Mucheneka, Ariel Makopa, Jerry Chipangura, Shingai Masukuta, Takunda Vareta, King Nadolo
Dynamos: Prince Tafiremutsa, Tendaishe Magwaza, Abel Gwatidzo, Clive Mandivei, Issaka Mohammed, Tellmore Pio, Vusa Ngwenya, Frank Agyemang, Jairos Kasondo, Leeroy Mavunga.
