Worst derby ever

that Tawanda Muparati’s late strike brought to the Dynamos fans, it couldn’t mask the reality that this was indeed a sick imitation of the Harare Derby.
The tragedy was that there were more than 30 000 people to watch this no-show, and a full house could have been possible, with a combination of better gate controls and a change in habits where everyone seemingly wants to come to the ground at 2pm.

The 67th edition of the Harare Derby has come and gone and, to the victors, go the spoils and 10-man Dynamos deserve credit for their character to play the last 22 minutes one man short, and still find the spirit to go forward and score a priceless goal.

Other teams, in their position, would have retreated into a shell and parked a bus in-front of goalkeeper Washington Arubi hoping to settle for a point, in a goalless tie, an outcome that wouldn’t have been out of order for a match so short on quality and so long on mediocrity.

But Lloyd Mutasa, to his credit, did not throw in Milton Makopa when presented with a chance to fight for a point, after the expulsion of Martin Vengesayi, who was unfortunate to get a comical yellow card, for a foul he never committed in the first half, and was foolish to commit one, when he was living on borrowed time, in the second half.
Instead Dynamos boosted their appetite to get a win, when they were one-man down, and even though they made little in-roads, on a day when the devil of poor play cast a spell over the National Sports Stadium, their body language signalled hope rather than surrender.

Even Chinhoyi referee Pascal Zata, clearly overwhelmed by the occasion, turned on a show so poor he would have been sent off, if football justice was the same for the players as it for the match officials, for getting the majority of his decisions wrong.

Given the lack of creativity in this match, it was probably not surprising that the goal, which made all the difference, came from a cocktail of mistakes, from the CAPS United defence, and big goalkeeper Eddie Sibanda, was in no-man’s land, when Muparati stroked the killer goal.

It sparked delirium in the Dynamos camp, and you can’t deny them the joy that comes with such a priceless goal, given that the Premiership table, which is what matters, doesn’t distinguish between a good win and a bad victory in its classification of teams.

It’s winning that matters and, as history has told us again and again, the best championship-winning football teams have found a way to getting all points, especially the big matches, when they are not at their fluent best.
On Sunday, Dynamos were not.

And the same was true for CAPS United.
“Somehow, both teams just decided that they didn’t want to play this game,” was the verdict of Mamelodi Sundowns’ boss Trott Moloto, who was in the VIP Enclosure at the National Sports Stadium.
Admittedly, both teams went into this contest under pressure and the emphasis, from the two coaches, appeared premised on trying not to lose, rather than trying to win, this Harare Derby.

The first 45 minutes passed so quickly, with nothing to write home about, the freshness among all the players clearly telling the story of soldiers who had been thrown into a battle but had decided to remain in their trenches – reading newspapers and chatting endlessly – without plunging into the conflict.

The midfield artistry promised by Archford Gutu’s return from injury was not there to be seen and Denver Mukamba was so poor he even forgot he had been substituted a good half-an-hour earlier, he remained on the pitch, delaying the re-start, as Dynamos celebrated their goal.

With the young guns misfiring, swallowed by the beast called Harare Derby and the critical examination it brings, it was left to veteran midfielder Murape Murape to play at a pace and rhythm, consistent with such a massive occasion.

But Murape needed a partner, to make a difference, and it’s a pity noone in his team could find the spirit that could only have been cultivated, in those rickety legs and small frame, through years of playing, and developing in the Glamour Boys’ house.

The return of Guthrie Zhokinyi offered Dynamos stability at the back, on a day when George Magariro decided wasting every possession he got was the best way to repel the enemy, but – given that the threat from CAPS United was minimal – judging the defenders became difficult.

The Green Machine had avoided defeat in their last game, and scored four in the other, and arrived on their home turf slightly with an edge over opponents confused by both their collapse against Blue Ribbon and the uncertainty surrounding the future of Gutu.

But CAPS United were also very poor on Sunday, with a crippled midfield that offered very little, save for a few runs that reaped nothing for Pride Tafirenyika, choking the supply line and leaving Simba Sithole so isolated he looked ordinary he would have struggled to make the Pamushana High School XI in this shape.

CAPS United also made it difficult, for their midfielders to come into the game, by employing the ineffective long ball that kept being pumped from goalkeeper Sibanda to the other goal in what was more of ping-pong than what we have come to know as football.

So Frank Adu became a complete waste, wide on the left channel, as CAPS United continued to favour a direct route that eliminated everyone along its path, and Marvel Samaneka, clearly not match fit after recent injury worries, could not make an impact.

While Evans Gwekwerere came in with a drive to make a difference, he soon was also infected by the bug of mediocrity that was on that pitch, and he faded out of the picture.
If there was a fight in this CAPS United team, even if it wasn’t that pronounced, it inevitably came from Washington Pakamisa, a man who grew up in the system, and who was prepared to seize the initiative on a day that means so much for the Green Machine.

The Harare Derby used to be the game where the CAPS United and Dynamos heroes were born and, those who had established themselves already, used this grand occasion to consolidate their status as the golden boys of the team.

Now, that is all gone, and on Sunday the latest generation of CAPS United and Dynamos players combined to give justification to those who believe that the only thing remaining in the Harare Derby is the brand names of the two teams.

Just relive some of the images from a golden past.
Mpumelelo Dzowa firing that unstoppable missile, from a free-kick, to give CAPS United a draw at Rufaro that virtually secured their first Premiership title, after independence, in 1996.

Vitalis Takawira, Tauya Murewa, Stewart Murisa, Alois Bunjira, Joel Shambo, Stanley Ndunduma, Friday Phiri, Moses Chunga, Kenneth Jere, Edward Katsvere – a roll call of great names that spiced the Harare Derby and turned it into the premier fixture on the calendar in the capital.

Now try to remember anything good, which has nothing to do with Muparati scoring that late goal, that came from the events at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, and you will be lucky to recall a real shot on target.

David Kutyauripo was injured, and ferried to hospital, fighting for the cause of his team.
Sibanda cried, at the end, as reality sunk in that the battle had been lost.

Those are the images and, sadly, they don’t make cult-heroes who used to emerge from a Harare Derby that has lost its soul.