Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) 2 Tsholotsho . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 BARELY 24 hours after he was sacked, Murape Murape received a standing ovation from supporters after making a surprise appearance in the technical area during Dynamos’ Castle Lager Premiership football match against Tsholotsho at Rufaro Stadium yesterday, which the home side won comfortably.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The Dynamos assistant coach was told to immediately leave by the club hierarchy on Tuesday over his comments in NewsDay Weekender last week, where he said most of the players at Dynamos lacked the quality and mental strength to drive the team to glory and appeared to suggest management did not buy the right footballers.
But he made a surprise appearance, which was met with echoes of approval by the few supporters who turned up to watch the match. There was supporter apathy probably because of the drama that saw management fire the coaches on Tuesday and it could have been because Dynamos’ chances of winning the title are very slim.
Those that came rooted for the technical team, including coach, Lloyd Mutasa, who has also been told he will be replaced by a new gaffer soon.
Dynamos recovered from the Chibuku Super Cup exit at the weekend to lift themselves back into the top four, with 38 points, 10 adrift of leaders FC Platinum. Crucially, only three points now separate them from third-placed Highlanders, although the Bulawayo team have a game in hand.
Mutasa has now collected 33 points from 19 matches since he took over from Paulo Jorge Silva, one better than Highlanders coach, Erol Akbay.
However, not even the backing of the supporters, nor the impressive results will save Mutasa and his assistant Murape, with club president, Keni Mubaiwa insisting they were on the prowl for a new coach.
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Mubaiwa said yesterday they were done with Murape despite his appearance on the technical bench and that a new coach was on the way.
After a nervy start, Dynamos stamped their authority with Takunda Sadiki putting them ahead on 17 minutes, pouncing on a loose ball near the penalty area before drilling a low shot to beat goalkeeper, Nickel Marichi. While the goal gave them a great lift, Tsholotsho refused to roll over and die and threatened with some fine raids. Nixon Gama even had the ball in the net on 56 minutes, but it was chalked off for offside.
Mutasa then made some changes, bringing in new boy Tawanda Macheke, who wasted no time in sewing up the contest two minutes from time, with a beautiful strike under challenge from Tsholotsho defenders.
Macheke — clearly overcome by emotion — raced to the technical area, where he embraced Mutasa and also gave his mother a hug, which lit up Rufaro.
