Glamour and Goals

SIMPLY sensational!
Dynamic Dynamos turned on the magic with a polished performance for the archives that dazzled 1976 champions Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in a Champions League first round, first leg tie at Rufaro yesterday.
Rarely have Dynamos made such a storming start to their continental campaign but their dominant show, laced with a fluent passing game, left the Algerians in awe and the home fans in the 30 000-strong crowd more than convinced that this could be DeMbare’s revival year.
In a thrilling encounter in which they could, with a bit of luck and more accuracy, doubled their winning margin, Dynamos virtually put one foot into the second round.
The Harare giants, forced to play a 4-5-1 formation in which newboy Roderick Mutuma played alone up front because of lack of many recognisable strikers in their ranks, had settled their nerves by the 17th minute when Warriors defender Guthrie Zhokinyi struck from the penalty spot in the 17th minute.
Mutuma, signed from Division One side Township Rangers then kept his cool to drill past MC Alger goalkeeper Mohamed Zemmaouche from close range.
Denver Mukamba capped a man-of-the match performance when he scored the best goal of the afternoon in the 78th minute when he gained space just on the edge of the box, dribbled past two men, turned a third marker before unleashing a curling shot with his left, which nestled into the far post.
Farai Vimisayi put the icing on the cake when he found his mark inside the box four minutes from time.
Veteran defender and MC Alger skipper Reda Babouche then grabbed a late consolation from the penalty, which gave the Algerians a glimmer of hope.
Dynamos conceded the following a clumsy challenge by Mukamba Nassim Bouchama and Babouche beat Washington Arubi from the resultant spot kick.
But that did little to spoil the party mood at Rufaro that had started moments after Mutuma beat the half-time whistle with the hosts second goal.
More importantly for Dynamos is the efficient manner in which they went about their business yesterday which left a lasting impression among those who either watched on television or were at the old home of Zimbabwean football.
Despite missing one of his star players Archieford Gutu – who was withdrawn from the Dynamos camp in a grossly ill-advised move by his manager Calvin Nyazema – the Harare giants remained as fluid as they have been for much of their build-up to the season.
Nyazema reportedly ordered Gutu, who had been included in the team, out of the Dynamos camp on Saturday night on the basis that the club management had not yet settled signing on fees for the players.
The move riled both coach Lloyd Mutasa and Dyna-mos chairman Farai Munetsi.
A livid Munetsi later blasted Nyazema for his conduct which he felt had also deprived Gutu a chance to showcase his talent on the grand stage.
“It was very unprofessional . . . how could he take such a move which disturbs the team and the coach’s plans and we have since asked Zifa to look into the conduct of some of the agents we have in our football.
“Archie is not the only player who is owed money by Dynamos,” Munetsi said.
Gutu’s absence was, however, hardly felt as the five-man Dynamos midfield led by veteran skipper Desmond Maringwa hardly put a foot wrong as they not only kept the supply line open for lone striker Mutuma but also chipped in with two of the goals from Mukamba and Vimisayi.
Despite a fine Champions League take-off by his team – a blend of rookies and seasoned players – Mutasa remained modest in his moment of triumph.
Mutasa also immediately warned that Dynamos would not relax and bask in the glory of yesterday’s big win as they still needed to finish the job in Algiers in a fortnight.
“I am very happy to have won.
“We played well and managed to create chances as well as score.
“Towards the end of the game, we went to sleep and conceded a penalty,” said Mutasa.
The Dynamos coach believes the win gave his side confidence and has shown that their rebuilding exercise was on the right track.
“The win gave us confidence and I hope that we should go through to the next round. If we keep our feet on the ground we will go through.
“At the moment we have the quality youngsters who are eager to learn,” said Mutasa.
While Mutasa was on cloud nine after the game, MC Alger coach Nourredine Zekri was once again on the receiving end against Dynamos.
Zekri was fired from his job as coach of Entete Setif last year after the side lost 1-0 to Dynamos during the mini-league phase of the same competition.
Before the match, Zekri had expressed confidence that he would turn the tables on DeMbare.
But he soon found out that the Harare giants have fast turned into an efficient machine that thrives on their ability to pass and retain the ball.
The MC Alger coach also reckoned that his team had never really recovered after suffering the Zhokinyi penalty set back.
“I think the penalty that we conceded in the first half was the turning point for us in the game.
“The referee was very unfair to us.
“He treated us harshly and was very hard on us,” said Zekri.
However, Zekri is still hopeful of turning the tables in the reverse fixture as he believes their consolation goal could come handy.
“We did manage to score but it was late.
“There is need to work on mistakes and we have to get it right in the home game.
“Dynamos won at home and we can also win at our home,” said Zekri.
With a little bit of luck, Dynamos could have scored five goals had strict South African referee Jerome Damon, who had a good game, not disallowed an effort by Mutuma in the second half.
In awarding Dynamos their first half penalty, Damon adjudged that Sofiane Harkat had pulled Zhokinyi down as he positioned himself to head a Thomas Magorimbo cross.
Harkat was also shown a yellow card for the offence.
Dynamos could have increased the lead in the 30th minute when Vimisayi carved open the MC Alger defence before laying the ball on for Mutuma but Hamza Koudri thwarted the move.
With Maringwa full of composure that comes with years of experience in the trade and the trio of Tawanda Muparati, Mukamba and Vimisayi constantly asking questions of the MC Alger defence it became a question of when, and not if, Dynamos would add a second goal.
Mukamba took the visitors defenders head on while Vimisayi in a one such similar move ripped open the Alger rearguard when he waltzed past Billel Attafen and Hamza Koudri before he switched the ball to Magorimbo who was running intelligently on the left.
Magorimbo in turn whipped in a dipping cross into the box which Mutuma met as he came from the blind side to rifle home Dynamos’ second.
The visitors reorganised in the second period when Babouche moved from the left back position to central midfield while Brahim Bedbouda dropped to defence.
Babouche won a free kick at the edge of the box in the 61st minute after being challenged by Zhokinyi and Mohamed Megherbi’s curling kick was tipped for a corner kick by Arubi.
Alger had their moment in the 67th minute when Babouche dispossessed Devon Chafa and laid on for Yusef Sofiane who tried to beat Arubi first time.
Mukamba then scored an immaculate goal when he twisted and turned before firing home to send the fans into delirium. Vimisayi then sealed a memorable victory when he kept his cool to volley home a miscued clearance by the MC Alger goalkeeper.
TEAMS:
Dynamos: W. Arubi, T. Magorimbo, D, Kutyauripo, G. Magariro, G. Zhokinyi, D. Chafa, F. Vimisayi, D. Mukamba (M. Murape 88th min), T. Muparati, D. Maringwa (T. Mamvura 90th min), R. Mutuma (P. Kumbula 86th min)
MC Alger: M. Zemamouche, Perezhier, Babush, Harikat, Zeddan, Kourdi, Bouchema, Attafen (Boubeboudba 60th min), Sofiane, Ammourne, Makpod.