DYNAMOS . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2 BORDER STRIKERS . . . . . .0
Remember Dynamos flirting with the relegation zone two months ago, frustrating their army of fans into violence at times with one poor performance after another? Well, they are back in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship matrix, making serious threats to run away with the title again and their fans are singing and dancing once more.
BY HENRY MHARA
Their resurgence, under Lloyd Mutasa, shows no signs of abating with yet another win, this time over basement side Border Strikers at Rufaro Stadium yesterday for the Harare giants to record their fifth league victory on the trot.
Godknows Murwira opened the scoring with a long range effort from a set piece on the 65th minute, an effort which Border Strikers goalkeeper Tarlent Sundae knows he should have dealt with before second substitute Kudzanai Nyakasaka made sure of maximum points in the 90th minute.
The win brought Dynamos right back in the title mix, leapfrogging ZPC Kariba into fourth position with 23 points, four off leaders FC Platinum, who have a game in hand.
After a lethargic first half from both sides — whose only highlight was probably the naming of Dynamos new signing Simba Gorogodyo in the starting line-up just days after joining the side — Mutasa’s men produced a better second half, whose rewards have set them on course to wrest back the championship they lost to Chicken Inn last season.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The new acquisition, playing wide, showed tantalising glimpses of what to expect, with some deft touches which immediately won him the approval of the often hard-to-please Dynamos fans before he limped off with 10 minutes remaining.
There were only two notable chances in the first half for both sides which fell to Dynamos through set pieces by Ocean Mushure.
The first one, which almost resulted in a goal when the cross by the left back, was flicked on by King Nasama, but Sundae managed to offset the lurking Obey Mwerahari.
Dynamos were revitalised at the start of the second half, playing with the freedom they have displayed since Paulo Jorge Silva’s departure.
They could have had a perfect start to the half when Rodreck Mutuma, largely quiet in the opening half, worked himself into the box, but his shot was blocked by Sundae, who used his legs and newboy Gorogodyo hit the cross bar from the rebound.
Dynamos were piling on the pressure, with defender Sydney Linyama failing to direct a loose ball into the nets after a melee inside the box following a corner kick. From the clearance, Border Strikers broke on the counter, with the ball finding William Nyoni who, however, shot wide from inside the box.
The game had opened up and it was a matter of time before the deadlock was broken.
Murwira provided the much-needed opener, scoring from a free-kick just after the centre line with a swerving shot that deceived the goalkeeper, who anticipated a cross.
The goal arrived just seconds after a ballboy had sprayed some white substance behind the visiting team’s goals, which he was given by unused substitute Dominic Mukandi.
Things almost got better for Dynamos immediately, but Masimba Mambare failed to turn home a cutback from the lively Nyakasaka.
Tichaona Chipunza, who was having a good game in midfield for Dynamos, tried his luck from range, but couldn’t keep his shot down as the hosts looked for a cushion goal. Nyakasaka, who had brought some urgency into the Dynamos attack, easily got behind the away side’s defence, but shot over on 87 minutes.
Three minutes later, the former Sodbury High School student put the game to bed when he collected a clever square pass from 80th substitute Mussa Madhiri, turning his defender inside before curling the ball beyond the stretching arms of Sundae.
It was game over, as the Dynamos supporters rose to celebrate yet another win at their favourite hunting ground.
Teams
Dynamos: T Mukuruva, G Murwira, O Mushure, S Linyama, O Mwerahari, M Mambare (C Rusere, 92’), T Chipunza, S Gorogodyo (M Madhiri, 80’), R Mutuma, K Nasama (K Nyakasaka, 58’) Border Strikers: T Sundae, T Jaravani, M Mwenya, F Mukarati, E Mwinga, G Mukambi, L Genti (P Sibanda, 78’), B Chirimanzi (B Junildy, 64’), H Chikosa, W Nyoni, M Chirape (T Kalunga, 62’)
