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Sports Reporter
FOR the umpteenth time the Murape Murape factor came to haunt Highlanders on Saturday. He was introduced in the 38th minute and made the desired impact for Dynamos.
A prominent Dynamos supporter, Ellington Galimoto, said Highlanders will struggle to beat Dynamos because its players lack the big match temperament that DeMbare have in abundance.
Bosso have not beaten Dynamos in a league match since 2006. Successive coaches have come and gone and all have failed to find a solution to that streak of mediocrity.
“Bosso are a good team. They have good players but how to be woven into a unit is what they seem to lack. Against DeMbare they played well and had us on the backfoot for a while especially in the first half where they created more chances than us. To be honest their goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda was bored on the other end of the pitch,” said Galimoto.
Dominance of the exchanges, he said, was not good enough.
“It’s goals that count. They at times do not show that hunger for results and that tends to be the difference.”
He described the difference as having boiled to the two technical teams’ ingenuity. Kelvin Kaindu started with two defensive links, a move that appeared to work for him with two creative midfielders Joel Ngodzo and Pasca Manhanga while Charles Sibanda and paceless Njabulo Ncube were given the task of spearheading the attack.
Dynamos’ Callisto Pasuwa saw the frustration in his Congolese import Fabrice Mbimba in the 38th minute and pulled him out for the ageless Murape.
The die was cast for a change on the field as Dynamos upped the tempo. All of a sudden they played with more vigour and purpose while Kaindu’s substitutes did little to save the situation for the home team.
Young Kudzi Machazani, shown the exit door by the same Highlanders technical team on the last day of registration in 2012, showed some flashes of hope when he came in, in the 83rd minute for Ncube.
“It boils down to ChaMurape, the Murape factor. His mere presence on the field lifts everyone in the team including the fans. He is DeMbare through and through and he knows what it means to the fans to beat Caps and Highlanders. He plays his heart out and yesterday was no exception, he drives the team,” said Galimoto.
He said Highlanders no longer had players like Douglas Mloyi, Madinda Ndlovu, Zenzo Moyo, the late Mercedes Sibanda, Thulani Ncube and Honour Gombami.
“Madinda would take it upon his shoulders and say it’s about time Bosso turned the tide to its favour in a match and produce wonders.
Douglas would defend like a man possessed. Bosso are good but lack that ingredient and for as long as their boys lack character and the big match temperament, we will always beat them,” said Galimoto.
The executive and technical team have been criticised of late for having fewer players from the team’s juniors or those plucked from lower division clubs in Bulawayo who are themselves Bosso supporters.
“Perhaps a shift to their own juniors and sons will brew better fighting qualities for the fans to watch their team beat Dynamos,” said Galimoto.
derick.khumalo