After defeat that left Dynamos’ reputation bruised and battered, having been trodden 6-0 by African champions Espérance in their first leg second round clash of the Caf Champions League on Saturday, the Harare giants face a herculean task to reassemble ahead of the second leg in two weeks’ time.
After the game, both players and technical team were trapped perilously in the depths of despair after registering such an attrocious record.
Highlanders got a half dozen goals by the same team, at the same stadium and in the same competition in 2003.
In the corridors of power at the most popular team in the country, suggestions are the technical squad should rip into the team and refresh a side whose axis are ageing players.
Coach Calisto Pasuwa insists his team was much better than the Tunis performance and result suggested.
He will not convince many. The way back is too steep at this stage, but Dynamos have to dust themselves up.
For Dynamos, the next matches will be as important as this one if the champions could salvage any pride.
There were questionable decisions by the referee Keïta Yakhouba in the Espérance match, but what was more questionable was the arsenal that Dynamos possess.
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The team was just not up to the task; they were out-run, out-passed and out-thought.
Part of the home side’s strategy which worked well, was to frustrate Dynamos and get their tempers flaring.
No wonder they collected more yellow cards than they had shots at goal, in fact, they never threatened goalkeeper Moez Ben Chrifiya. Not even once did he make a decent save.
The plan was to be cagey at the start and venture later, yet Dynamos remained in defensive mode all day. Tawanda Muparati fought a lone battle in the middle and looked like he could craft something, yet without support, it was an impossible job.
Ocean Mushure showed some resilience at the left-back position, but once he was elbowed by Yannick Ndjeng, he never quite recovered.
Attacker Takesure Chinyama upfront, might have failed to feature in the match report as he did nothing on a day he was well starved of balls and also struggled with a knee injury.
He was well marshalled by Mali defender Idrisa Coulibaly. Murape Murape never got going. Rodrick Mutuma could have been sent off and playing on the left wing, he found the defence impenetrable.
“We lost the mind games battle which contributed to the score line ending up as big as it was,” said Pasuwa.
“They wanted to frustrate us and the players fell into the trap in the way they reacted.
“They committed many fouls and we also had Timire Mamvura evicted. We then conceded three more goals after he had left. I am not giving this as an excuse, but when we were a man down it became more difficult as we had a number of players carrying knocks, so it was tough getting back. We had organised ourselves better in the second half.
“We will go back and keep on working hard. One of the biggest lessons we learnt was planning and organisation. We will prepare well and make sure we pick ourselves up and play some good football at home.
“They (Espérance) are a good side. When they decide to attack, they do that very well. They can split the defence from the middle. We have to sort out our own shortcomings and do well in the reverse tie.”
