Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 4 Zimbabwe Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
High-riding Dynamos reduced the gap at the top of the log to just one point with a clinical performance to thrash a hapless Zimbabwe Saints in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
Cuthbert Malajila opened the floodgates at the stroke of half-time as he poked past Saints’ goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya from inside the box.
Sweden-bound Archford Gutu made it 2-0 four minutes after the restart with a well-executed shot, curving the ball out of reach of the outstretched keeper, a goal that seemingly settled Dynamos players’ nerves.
It was one-way traffic thereafter and it came as a no surprise when the Harare giants added to the score sheet midway through the second half.
Substitute Martin Vengesai who had came for veteran Murape Murape outpaced Saints defenders to thread the ball through the legs of Diya and into the nets.
Rodrick Mutuma made the win more emphatic 10 minutes from time when he connected a Nicholas Alufandika cross on the left to tap in from close range.
The win took Dynamos’ points tally to 42, just a point away from the leading pair of Motor Action and FC Platinum who conspired to draw their matches on Saturday.
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FC Platinum was held to a 1-1 draw by Caps United at Mandava while log leaders Motor Action were also held to the same scoreline by Chicken Inn at home.
Despite closing the gap on the log leaders, Dynamos assistant coach Tonderai Ndiraya decided to remain modest.
“I still feel we have a long way to go, we still have to fight for 21 points which is quite a long journey. Our performance today was OK although the first half wasn’t so good, but we picked up after we had scored. The goal gave us some confidence and we were all over Saints after that. We were very concerned though in the last few minutes when the boys were playing around with the ball. If we can score 15, why not score those 15 goals,” said Ndiraya.
Saints remained rooted second from the bottom with 20 points, but assistant coach Admore Sibanda is hopeful they can still escape relegation.
“We played well, but lost concentration at crucial moments. We also conceded soft goals. We cannot talk of relegation at the moment, we still many games to play,” said Sibanda.
Dynamos came into the match knowing fully well that a win will place them firmly back in contention and were quickly in the groove with Mutuma missing the target by few inches in the 13th minute.
On the 26th minute, Gutu hit the upright with a stinging shot that bounced off the back of the goalkeeper away from the field of play.
Mutuma and Gutu were also denied by the impressive Diya moments later but the defining moment came when the lanky Mutuma teed up Malajila to scramble home from close range.
Mutuma was at hand again for the second goal when he eliminated Givemore Fireyi at the edge of the box to square for Gutu who made no mistake.
Vengesai then raced through to Thomas Magorimbo’s well-weighted ball over the defence to beat the advanced goalkeeper, while Mutuma’s brilliance performance on Sunday paid off with a deserved goal. He had missed a sitter a minute earlier though.
