Vusumuzi Dube
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Sports Reporter
Chicken Inn (0) 0
Dynamos (0) 2
DYNAMOS head coach Herbert Maruwa had all the reasons to be thankful for the team’s spirited show of play, as the win over Chicken Inn was a face saver to his future.
Chicken Inn were plucked out of their roost and left wondering how they were outsmarted by the fast run of play displayed by Dynamos in the second half of yesterday’s Premier Soccer League tie at Barbourfields Stadium.
Whatever Maruwa told his boys at the break, was enough to tame the Gamecocks. The hosts were caught napping, and worse off their coach Prince Matore knew not what beat him. The two goals by Dynamos, best seen as thunder strikes made Maruwa glee in contentment as they went home to Harare.
A loss at Barbourfields could have spelled a blow on his priced job. He survived a jilt and he owes it first to Elton Chikona, whose perfectly calculated shot at the goal mouth in the 67th minute made sure the coach lives to see another day out of the dugout, barking instructions to the Glamour boys.
Nailing the last nail to bury the Gamecocks was Eli Ilunga in the stroke of full time. And so it ended and Maruwa was happy to have led a “juicy braai” in the afternoon. Prince Matore, the Chicken Inn gaffer was wet with embarrassment. In his post-match review, he tried to explain his mistakes but it was written on his face, he was panting and couldn’t give a satisfactory response. He admitted his players were porous, easily letting the Dynamos attack through.
“It was disappointing. We expected to do well. We lost it to the failure to concentrate on marking the opponents. We had some few errors on the defensive side,” said Matore.
However, the coach said he was not regretting his substitution decisions.
“I’m not regretting,” that was his response.
Matore called out George Majika and Raphael Kutinyu in the 50th minute, much to the disgruntlement of a handful of Chicken Inn fans and sympathisers. That was the turning point, as the compass shifted to Dynamos’ fortunes.
Actually, of all the changes he made, Chicken Inn sank deeper into oblivion. This was DeMbare’s first win at Emagumeni, a new home base they adopted a few weeks ago.
“There’s a lot of progress in the team so far. We have moved to utilise more offensive players,” said Maruwa.
On his substitutions, Maruwa sounded content.
“I’m happy. They came in and gave another dimension and the result was good.”
By all standards, Dynamos’ fans have to be awarded the credit for a well-supported affair at Barbourfields. Soon after the traditional team handshakes, DeMbare’s poster boy Denver Mukamba waved at the supporters and what followed was a deafening noise from the Mpilo End terraces.
As expected, the home side’s few followers, had to watch the glamour, with a bit of admiration.
Right from when the referee blew to start the match, DeMbare fans went in unison, singing, and dancing in cheer. In fact, they did so for the whole match. Here was a “choir” that entertained for 90 minutes.
They sang the song; “Munovapirei Doro” which has since become a sporting national anthem of sorts. That is what DeMbare crowds are well known for. Just merry and wild, in a good sense of course. Going back to the capital city, the Glamour Boys boarded their plane letting loose in glory.
Teams:
Chicken Inn FC:
D Bernard, M Hwata (C Augusto, 62 mins), X Ndlovu, M Bhebhe, G Majika (G Mutungamiri, 50 mins), A Chinda, C Dzingai (T Chibunyu, 76 mins), D Jaricha, S Mhlanga, T Kutinyu (B Muza, 50mins), M Charamba (O Malajila, 62 mins)
Dynamos FC:
P Tafiremutsa, S Nyahwa, K Moyo, E Moyo, D Mukamba (E Ilunga, 45 mins), D Dzvinyai, E Jalai, E Chikona, A Musiiwa (F Makarati, 87 mins), K Madera (E Paga, 65 mins) , T Shandirwa.
— @NkosieLegend
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter