DYNAMOS recorded their seventh draw of the Premier Soccer League season when they were held by Harare City at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.
REPORT BY HENRY MHARA
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . 0 Harare City . . . . . . . . . . 0
A lot was expected from the defending champions after their previous three wins on the trot before yesterday’s match, but they failed to find the target against their bogey side.
While the draw would certainly not hurt their confidence, it did little for their movement on the log standings as they remain on fourth place, two points behind leaders FC Platinum, who stuttered at home to Hwange yesterday. Harare City coach Bigboy Mawiwi said his side could have done better while his opposite Kalisto Pasuwa said he was content with a point “in the circumstances”.
Pasuwa had to make two injury-forced substitutions after defender Gift Bello got hurt in the first half and Clive Kawinga early in the second half, while Patson Jaure limped for the rest of the last 10 minutes after he was floored with his team having exhausted all the substitutes.
Bello sported a swollen knee after the match, while Jaure had a suspected crack on his shin.
The nearest DeMbare found a goal in the match was when Washington Pakamisa hit the upright midway through the second half. Osbourne Mukuradare also had his shot cleared off the line for Harare City.
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The game started with Dynamos enjoying more possession, but unable to create good goal- scoring opportunities against a City side who sat deeper awaiting a chance to counter.
Inside the first five minutes, Dynamos anchor Thomas Magorimbo broke through the middle and played Tawanda Muparati on the edge of the box, but the team’s vice-captain shot horribly wide.
Dynamos enjoyed some good interplays in the midfield moments later involving Magorimbo, Devon Chafa and Muparati, but most of those good moves came to nought.
One counter attack saw the speedy Martin Vengesai for City wheeling down the left channel, but his intended cut-in was blocked by Bello, who hurt himself in the process.
Pakamisa would follow to the ground on the edge of the box against aggressive City defenders, and Ocean Mushure wasted the free-kick.
On 24 minutes, City got on a promising position, the short free- kick taken quickly, but it did little to trouble the Dynamos defence.
Dynamos had another chance on the half-hour mark when Pakamisa escaped his marker on the right and crossed the ball to Muparati on the blinder, but his header was collected safely.
As the time ticked to half-time, Pasuwa was forced to pull out Bello who had clearly not recovered from an earlier knock and holding midfielder Stephen Alimenda was introduced. That meant positional chances for Dynamos as Magorimbo, the initial anchor, was moved to the right while Morris Kadzoka moved to the centre.
Dynamos immediately lost their rhythm and in that confusion conceded a “goal” when Mukuradare poked home, but the whistle went off for offside.
Dynamos came back better in the second half and Maxwell Nyamupanedengu saved a snap shot from Pakamisa and would smother a Murape Murape shot moments later after he got to the end of a square ball.
Pasuwa was forced to make another substitution, introducing Boban Bogere after Kawinga had received a knock and the Ugandan was quickly involved, exchanging passes in the box with Chafa, but both players hesitated to take a shot at goal and the defenders cleared the danger.
The home side was on the ascendancy and looked the likeliest team to score.
City were forced to slow down the tempo and their player James Jam went down unchallenged, but referee Ruzive Ruzive had none of it and told the former Motor Action man in no uncertain terms to get up. But the trick had worked for them. Their next counter attack released William Manondo who shoot straight at Dynamos keeper George Chigova.
Harare City tried to take advantage of their numerical advantage as Jaure was still being attended to, but substitute Godfrey Nguwodzavo fired wide from inside the box.
