DYNAMOS . . . . . . (0) 1 FC PLATINUM . . . . . . 0
TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
KALISTO Pasuwa paced up and down like a frustrated chief executive towards the end of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
The goals which he had been craving for so much had become stubbornly elusive once again.
He needed a helping hand because FC Platinum defended resolutely as if their careers depended on yesterday’s result.
Pasuwa did eventually get the help from the often-controversial Harare referee Ruzive Ruzive five minutes from the end when the man in black decided to change the rules of the game for reasons best known to himself — awarding a hugely controversial penalty to Dynamos after Simba Sithole slumped to the turf as he attempted a bicycle kick in the danger zone.
Even birds of the air can testify that there was no contact between him and FC Platinum defenders Gift Bello and Qadr Amin, but Ruzive — a previous winner of the Referee of the Year Award — pointed to the spot.
Reliable penalty taker Ocean Mushure accepted responsibility.
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He showed panache and conviction as he stepped up to take the penalty to beat goalkeeper Petros Mhari with a low shot to calm Dynamos nerves.
It was their first goal in five successive matches. More importantly, it was Pasuwa’s first victory over FC Platinum since Lloyd Mutasa took over. As the referee blew to end the match, Pasuwa heaved a sigh of relief, but still, he was not comfortable talking to reporters.
“I don’t want to comment on the penalty because I am not a referee. I just want to say well done to the boys. But we still have a problem with our strikeforce in terms of scoring goals in open play,” Pasuwa said.
While that victory was supposed to give him a sense of comfort and relief, it will not.
If anything, it will pile more pressure on him as the league begins to gather pace.
Even the players didn’t celebrate as much as they usually do when they win such encounters.
The victory took Dynamos to fifth place on the league table with 13 points from seven matches.
Mutasa looked dejected and downcast.
“I don’t want to comment on a lot of things that I have no control over because I know it will be interpreted differently, but with this kind of officiating we will not go anywhere as a country.
“It appears some of these matches are decided off the field of play,” he said.
“We didn’t create [as many] chances as we would have wanted, but I have got young players who have got mental strength.
“They are aware of the hostilities when you play some of these teams that are believed to be playing good football.”
Dynamos, though, dominated the match for long periods and created more chances than the visitors who chose to defend deep in their half.
Dynamos strikers Sithole, Pakamisa and substitute Patrick Khumbula, however, failed to convert their chances, leaving the champions still needing to score a goal in open play after failing to do so in the previous five matches.
Teams: Dynamos: G Chigova, B Moyo, O Mushure, T Ndlovu, P Jaure, S Alimenda, R Chitiyo, T Mabvura (C Sekete 56th minute), W Pakamisa (P Khumbula 56th minute), S Sithole, T Rusike FC Platinum: P Mhari, Q Amin, T Kamusoko, S Shoko, N Ncube (T Rukanda 51st minute), J Marufu, A Gahadzikwa (W Mutasa 61st minute), M Mudehwe (R Sibanda 51st minute) M Katsvairo, G Bello, D Ngoma
