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Kelvin Kaindu’s $50 000 lesson

Sport
KELVIN Kaindu might have walked away with $50 000 for coming second best — once again-to Dynamos in the TM Pick ‘n’ Pay Challenge Cup on Saturday

KELVIN Kaindu might have walked away with $50 000 for coming second best — once again-to Dynamos in the TM Pick ‘n’ Pay Challenge Cup on Saturday after a 4-1 lesson, but he will look back at a porous defence that was found wanting in all the goals.

WELLINGTON TONI SPORTS EDITOR

It was Bosso’s fourth loss to Dynamos this season, after two Castle Lager Premier Soccer League losses and the Bob90 final.

Dynamos were $60 000 richer at the end of the day.

Eric Mudzingwa, Bruce Kangwa, Dumisani Ndlovu and veteran skipper Innocent Mapuranga lacked the tactic to deal with Dynamos’s marauding forwards throughout the match.

Mudzingwa lacked the pace on the right wing back and was constantly playing second fiddle to man of the match Tafadzwa Rusike and it was from one such raid that led to Dynamos’s opener.

With Mudzingwa beaten, the long ball came in and Ronald Chitiyo did well to bring back into play with Ndlovu failing to track Simba Sithole who easily slid the ball home.

In the second goal, Mapuranga failed to clear a throw-in and instead headed the ball goal-wards and three Highlanders defenders hesitated to clear and Sithole, almost falling, showed the true instinct of a striker with the goal of the match.

In the third, Ndlovu was behind Rodreck Mutuma when the cross came from the left and there was no way he could have stopped the goal.

In the last, Washington Pakamisa was all alone and there was nothing goalkeeper Arial Sibanda could have done.

Infact, from another angle, Sibanda was the man of the match, stopping four clear Dynamos goals in the second half-three of them in one on one situations, which would easily have been an embarrassing netball scoreline for Highlanders.

The games between the two sides have become so one-sided that even fans don’t even bother to go to the stadium anymore, worse with television coverage.

At betting shops, a Dynamos win against Highlanders would certainly pay a few cents.

Kaindu has bought well in midfield and strikeforce, but the defence is lacking.

Mudzingwa is not a defender, Ndlovu thrives on hardwork, but tactical awareness and positioning in relation to a striker is lacking while Mapuranga’s legs cannot carry him anymore.

That leaves Kangwa as the only pure defender in that backline and that is not good enough for a team that has not won the league title since 2006.

“I think today we just failed to be there. We created a few chances in the first half, but we failed to get goals. We also played the offside trap which we don’t normally play. It’s a psychological thing that we need to work on — when we play Dynamos, I think most of the players just go and play an average game without being singled out as the player who made that mistake because after the game there will be so much criticism and I think this has affected our play. The loss will bring some negative impact on the team, but I think we can fall, but what is important is going to the next game that we play,” Kaindu said.

Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa, coming Sunday Chidzambwa’s school of defence, does not make such mistakes at the back.

The back four confidently keeps its line. Thomas Magorimbo easily fitted into the left wing back position in the absence of Ocean Mushure, Themba Ndhlovu and Augustine Mbara are an awesome pairing in central midfield while young Blessing Moyo plays with the aplomb of a veteran.

Just ahead of the backline, Stephen Alimenda plays in a box: he is the fifth man in defence, crosses the centre line when there is need, but retreats to provide cover all the time, thus lessening pressure on the defence.

The rest is for Sithole, Rusike, Pakamisa and Mutuma to deliver.

Sad moments

32nd minute — After Simba Sithole’s second goal, Dynamos fans started singing vulgar songs, which are often a contributing factor to hooliganism

54th minute — After Rodreck Mutuma’s third goal, a Highlanders fan was shown on television making vulgar gestures-again a contributing factor to hooliganism in football

Thanks

TM and Pick n Pay — Wonderful corporate sponsorship in partnering the well run top flight league

Referee — Excellent all-round performance from the centre man and his assistants.