Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HARARE giants Dynamos have made unique progress in defence of their Chibuku Super Cup this season, with all their victories coming via spot-kick lotteries.
The Glamour Boys underlined their strength in the shoot-outs when they eased into the semi-finals of the tournament courtesy of a 4-2 victory over ZPC Kariba at the weekend. The game had spilled into a tie-breaker in the wake of a goalless draw at the end of the 90 minutes of regulation time.
They are now set to face old foes Highlanders in the last four, with Triangle and new boys MWOS also through after recording comfortable wins.
But for DeMbare, who have been struggling in the league marathon, whether it is strategy or not that they stretch their opponents to the shoot-out, coach Kelvin Kaindu knows better.
DeMbare have been imperious from the penalty spot, missing only one of the 13 kicks that they have taken in the campaign.
They beat Yadah 4-3 in the preliminary round before edging first-round opponents Simba Bhora by the same margin.
Kaindu’s men had forced the match to a shoot-out following a late equaliser by Ghanaian import Felix Hammond to end the match 1-1. That was the only time they scored a goal in regulation time. Then in the quarter-finals, DeMbare emerged 4-2 victors over ZPC Kariba.
However, Kaindu feels the Glamour Boys have missed opportunities to kill off their opponents in some of the game.
“Maybe we were a bit wasteful in terms of the free-kicks that we had. Maybe with a bit of composure, we could have managed to get a goal,” he said after Saturday’s game against ZPC Kariba.
“But what is important at the end of the day is that we have progressed to the semi-finals. It’s not good. I think there are positions where we could have capitalised, but we were just wasteful.
“These are things that we also need to work out, I think in our sessions. But we would rather miss doing the right thing than just for us to take the ball out and lose possession unnecessarily. But like I said earlier on, we showed character on the penalties.
“I don’t know how many chances we had, I think, in the box. But our conversion rate was not good. But coming to penalties, we have showed a lot of confidence.
“I think from all the penalties that we have taken, we have only missed one. I think the ratio of us scoring even in training when we are doing the practice, I think it has been quite exciting and encouraging.”
Goalkeeper Tatenda Makoni has been described as their lucky charm, getting introduced every time the matches dragged towards the tie-breaks and making one or two key saves.
“This is the third time that we are winning. And also, maybe the goalkeeper that came in. We have always believed and have confidence in him that at least he’s able to make a save from the penalty,” said Kaindu.
The Zambian gaffer emphasised the importance of the Chibuku Super Cup which Dynamos won consecutively before his arrival in 2023 and 2024.
But the 2025 edition comes as the giants have been struggling. They are currently sitting third from the bottom of the table, with the threat of relegation hanging over their heads in the last six games of the season.
“We have seen that the aspirations for us to win the league is far away from us. In fact, we are thinking about how to survive the relegation. But there’s a trophy, there’s a cup that is there. “Maybe with a bit of luck, we may be thinking about participating in the Confederation Cup. We just hope we keep on pushing, but our hope and our confidence is for us to get to the final.
“Even as we are pursuing for us to survive relegation, I think it would be better for us to survive relegation and also manage to get the trophy,” said Kaindu. DeMbare will be at home for the semi-final tie against Highlanders on October 26.
“We are yet to get to the final, but of course, the win gave us more confidence and a bit of hope as well. Dynamos are the defending champions. We’ve got the pedigree, especially when the game goes to penalty shoot-outs.
