adminEddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
YADAH goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube reckons their first league defeat should work as a catalyst that should spur them to improve their game and build on their fairytale start to life in the Premiership.
The newboys’ fine start was brought to a halt by giants Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium with the Glamour Boys handing the Prophetic Healing Deliverance Ministries outfit a 1-0 defeat on Sunday.
Dynamos skipper and left back Ocean Mushure struck with a trademark free-kick in the 34th minute to end the Yadah honeymoon.
It was only the second time in 540 minutes of action that Yadah’s widely travelled goalkeeper Dube had conceded a goal.
Basement club Chapungu had been the only team to find their way past the diminutive goalkeeper who has seen duty with Masvingo United, Lancashire Steel, Dynamos, CAPS United, FC Platinum and Harare City.
Dube revealed that he was disappointed at conceding what appeared a soft goal against DeMbare from a set piece, but believes the setback should not cloud Yadah’s vision.
“It’s so disappointing especially losing a game that you know is in your hands.
“Look at the show that we put on in the second half, we could have easily won that match.
“It’s unfortunate in the first half we gave Dynamos a lot of respect, but we were more organised in the second half.
“We created chances and we were unlucky we couldn’t score. But we have to find ways to come back, this setback should spur us on,” said Dube.
Yadah coach Jairos Tapera said the newboys who, have managed only a point from their last two assignments would need to go and work on their shortcomings if they are to remain competitive.
The debutants have charmed neutrals with their fighting spirit, but they have not been scoring enough to win matches.
Statistics of three goals in six matches could stand as a mockery to the shift they have put into their matches.
“As a coach you always want to maintain what you have, but that’s the nature of the game.
“Like any other game you lose today, you go back to the drawing board, sit down with the players, talk about the mistakes and the good things that we have done and then try to rectify on those mistakes going forward,” said Tapera.
While Yadah were lamenting a poor weekend, Shabanie Mine were celebrating their first win at home after dismissing Tsholotsho 1-0 at Maglas.
The Premiership returnees were also on target for the first time at home and it had taken them four home games to achieve the feat.
Former Zimbabwe international Nelson Maziwisa scored for the Chinda Boys for his second goal this season. It was also a huge relief to their new coach Takesure Chiragwi who had lost two matches and drawn one since he took over from Wilson Mutekede.
Mutekede had set the bar high by drawing against champions CAPS United and then beating Highlanders at Barbourfields in the opening matches of the season before he left to assume a new role as ZIFA technical director.
Former Champions Chicken Inn also returned to winning ways with an important 1-0 away win over Hwange.
Attacking midfielder Chris Samakweri compounded Hwange’s woes at the Colliery, where they are yet to score a goal nor win a match this season, when he sunk the coal miners with a first half goal.
On a weekend of largely low scoring matches except for champions CAPS United’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Chapungu, Bulawayo Highlanders dislodged Ngezi Platinum from the top of the table with a 1-0 home win over the miners at Barbourfields courtesy of Simon Munawa’s effort.
Apart from CAPS United’s result over Chapungu, Triangle’s 2-1 triumph over Bulawayo City, six other Premiership matches between Sunday and yesterday ended in 1-0 margins.
Highlanders, now with 12 points, could yet stretch their lead at the top should they win the game they have in hand over second placed Ngezi.
Tonderai Ndiraya’s men had made a blistering start to the season, winning three out of three, but they seem to be gradually losing the steam and have now lost two and drawn once.
Alarm bells, however, should be ringing louder for Chapungu coach Tendai Chikuni who remained winless after half a dozen games following the 0-4 mauling by champions CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium.
The Gweru airmen recently beefed up the technical team by roping in Rodwell Dhlakama as technical manager, but the former Monomotapa coach’s impact is yet to be felt as Chapungu anchor the log table with two points in the bag.
Unlike Chapungu, fellow uniformed forces outfit Black Rhinos who will be in action this afternoon have been enjoying a good spell under Stanford “Stix’’ Mtizwa.
Rhinos host FC Platinum at Morris Depot this afternoon hoping to continue with one of their best starts to a Premiership season.
The soldiers have a knack for fighting against relegation from day one, but after just four games they are fifth with nine points.
In fact Rhinos could go top on goal difference if they overcome FC Platinum and become the first team to hand Norman Mapeza a league defeat in 2017.
FC Platinum and CAPS United are the only teams still to taste defeat in the league.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter