DYNAMOS might have been left off-balance in light of developments on the domestic football landscape at the weekend, but captain Ocean Mushure believes there is all to fight for.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
Historically, the Harare giants have been known to fight like a cobra even when all odds are against them and still go on to the winners’ podium.
Having fallen two points behind ZPC Kariba last season, DeMbare stunned watchers of the local game when they beat the Kariba outfit to the finishing line with a victory over How Mine on the last day of the league programme in one of the most intriguing conclusion to the Premier Soccer League title race.
With Caps United thumping ZPC Kariba 3-1 in another match, the game had been turned on its head and Dynamos were crowned champions for the fourth successive season. And stand-in captain Mushure is waving a defiant fist, insisting they still have everything to fight for. The Glamour Boys’ title aspirations suffered a major reversal after they stuttered to a 0-0 draw against Harare City on Sunday – a result which left them six points off the pace with just five matches left in the campaign.
They had gone into the match under immense pressure to collect maximum points which could have seen them close in on log leaders Chicken Inn and FC Platinum who won their respective matches on Saturday.
The GameCocks produced one of the greatest comeback stories in football when they hit back from a goal down to seal victory with two goals in three minutes against How Mine.
While that that was a symbolic result, it was clearly a statement of title intent by Joey Antipas and his men who consolidated their place at the top of the league table with 52 points, while FC Platinum remained on second position with 48 points after overcoming WhaWha 3-0.
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Dynamos remain on third position with 46 points and will now be forced to do some maths to see where they would be by the end of the campaign. Mushure said they were still very much in the race and were focused on their remaining matches without worrying about what other teams were doing.
“I think we still have everything to fight for,” said Mushure. “There are five games left and what we are doing is to focus on our remaining games without worrying about what is happening with other teams. We are a united family. The spirit is high and we believe it’s not over yet.
As the leader of the group, I am helping to motivate the players especially those new players who have not been in this situation before. What is important is how we are going to end the season,” added the 29-year-old.
The defending champions squandered plenty of opportunities in a game they dominated with their forwards Rodreck Mutuma and Takesure Chinyama guilty of missing several chances. Mushure also had a free kick crashing against the cross bar early in the second half as Dynamos pressed forward.
The goal, however, remained stubbornly elusive until the referee blew to end the match. Mushure, whose form has been rewarded with a call-up to the Warriors ahead of the Chan tournament against Lesotho at the weekend, expressed his delight to be back in the national team after a lengthy absence.
“I feel honoured to be recalled to the national team. It has been a long time since I was called up and hope to do my best and repay the confidence the coach has shown in me,” said Mushure. The Dynamos left back was last called up by German former national coach Klaus-Dieter Pagels.
