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Dynamos unstoppable

Sport
DYNAMOS’ resurgence is showing no signs of abating after they beat Ngezi Platinum in a five-goal Castle Lager Premier Soccer League thriller at the National Sports Stadium last night.

Dynamos . . . . . . . (1) 3 Ngezi Platinum . . . . (1) 2

DYNAMOS’ resurgence is showing no signs of abating after they beat Ngezi Platinum in a five-goal Castle Lager Premier Soccer League thriller at the National Sports Stadium last night.

BY HENRY MHARA

Christian Ntouba
Christian Ntouba

Denver Mukamba gave the Harare giants the lead on 29 minutes but Tendai Dzukamanja equalised 10 minutes later.

Ngezi then took the lead through former Dynamos midfielder Dominic Mukandi, who headed past goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga, but a sublime free kick from the returning Ocean Mushure restored parity in the 75th minute.

Cameroonian Christian Ntouba (pictured) then decided the highly entertaining match with a firm shot past the Ngezi Platinum goalie with just eight minutes of the match remaining.

The victory was Dynamos’ fourth on the trot and took them up the log standings to fifth position with 23 points, three behind Ngezi Platinum, on second position.

Victorious coach Lloyd Mutasa hailed his players for a remarkable performance which he attributed to hard work.

“I think we have been talking about this game for a long time and said if we want to be reckoned with, we need to beat the contenders. This is good progress to the institution. I wouldn’t want to say we are back in contention and put pressure on my youngsters. We just want to do better than yesterday, better than what we did last year, and that is our main focus for now,” Mutasa, who celebrated wildly at the final whistle, said.

Ngezi coach Tonderai Ndiraya blamed his defenders for the loss, describing their play as atrocious. “It was good entertaining football for the fans, but a disappointing result for my team. We defended badly tonight and conceded the three goals through lack of concentration.

“We started well and dominated and created some opportunities and that has been our way of doing things, but tonight we just failed to put them away. Our defending was so atrocious. We should have done better in terms of defending. It was a good game, one we lost three points so we have to go back, plan and move on.

“Dynamos put up a very good fight, and my boys didn’t handle the pressure well. I’m happy with the overal performance of the team, but we should do better in terms of defending,” Ndiraya said.

Dynamos welcomed captain Mushure and striker Ntouba back into the starting line-up after the duo missed the team’s last match, a win away at Tsholotsho. Ngezi resembled a Dynamos B team, with five of their former players starting for the Mhondoro side. It was the visitors who looked at home in the early stages of the match, and created the better chances. Liberty Chakoroma and Walter Mukanga had their shots tipped over by Dynamos goalie Mateyaunga while Donald Teguru’s effort whistled on the wrong side of the left near post.

Tichaona Mabvura had his shot intercepted by Marshall Machazane as Ngezi piled on the pressure looking for the breakthrough.

However, against the run of play, Dynamos took the lead when Peace Makaha galloped forward before crossing the ball into the box to find an unmarked Mukamba, who pressed it past Mawaya.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes as Dzukamanja levelled the score with a well-placed shot to the bottom left corner from the edge of the box as the two teams went to the break all square. Dynamos were forced to make a change three minutes into the second half when Quality Kangadzi hobbled off with an injury and was replaced by Cleopas Kapupurika.

It was two ex-Dynamos players who then combined to give Ngezi the lead, when Mabvura’s corner was headed home by Mukandi. On reflection, Mateyaunga knows he should have done better. But Mushure equalised in spectacular fashion when he curled in a free kick, leaving Mawaya rooted to the spot.

Ntouba, who was making a nuisance of himself, blasted in the winner when he got to the end of Makaha’s through ball to send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Teams:

Dynamos: T Mateyaunga, P Makaha, O Mushure, L Zvasiya, M Machazane, O Mwerahari, T Chipunza, D Mukamba (T Macheke, 71′), E Mandiranga (T Sadiki, 67′), Q Kangadze (C Kapupurika, 48′), C Ntouba

Ngezi Platinum: T Mawaya, Q Amini, P Jaure, G Murwira, K Murera, D Mukandi (A Augusto, 87′), W Mukanga, L Chakoroma, T Dzukamanja, T Mabvura (W Pakamisa, 87′), D Teguru (K Bulaji, 67′)