Dynamos…(0)1
Chapungu…..0
On the 87th minute Dynamos’ quest for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title for this year seemed to have been dead and buried.
By Kevin Mapasure
But football is played over 90 minutes and like what coach Lloyd Mutasa had said before the match that they would fight to the end, yesterday they did just that.
This year’s title race is quite an intriguing one. So many twists and turns, but it is at that stage now where there is simply no room for error.
Not even a draw is good enough and Dynamos seemed to have been heading into one against a plucky Chapungu side at the National Sports Stadium, until they called on Quality Kangadze whom they had in the reserves.
For long, this match looked like it was one that would end in disappointment for the home side.
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Not much worked their way, here and there they peppered the Chapungu goal, but without real poise, while they survived a number of scares by the visitors who played baggage free as they have since achieved their target of beating the drop.
DeMbare’s top goal scorer Christina Epoupa has endured eight games without scoring and yesterday you often saw him fly and flick yet he always ended up flapping with frustration with his teammate failing to take full advantage.
Yet as the fat lady was beginning to loosen her larynx DeMbare found a way and it was Epoupa who provided a pin-point cross which was met with a quality header by Kangadze to breathe life into their race.
With yesterday’s win DeMbare hauled themselves back to within two points of leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars and second-placed FC Platinum with three matches to play.
There is still a good chance and Mutasa is banking on the Mandava clash where the two platinum miners will collide.
“The top teams still have to play each other and we will wait to see what happens because one or both will drop points,” a relieved Mutasa told the media after yesterday’s match.
“Today the youngsters showed a never say die attitude and this is what we want to see. We keep believing and we keep fighting hard until the end. Winning today has given us a great feeling and we want to be in the mix until the end.”
Dynamos had more threats when Epoupa is at the end of a cross, but a disciplined Chapungu defence always made sure he was the one crossing not receiving. He had a number of crosses in the box, but Ocean Mushure, Cleopas Kapupurika and Masimba Mambare all had opportunities they squandered.
At the other end, Allen Tavarwisa gave the Dynamos defence a tough shift and on 21 minutes he set up Osborne Mukuradare who shot over the bar.
Dynamos had a number of free kicks around the box, but Mushure, usually lethal, barely threatened Roy Mazingi in goals for Chapungu.
Mazingi, however, almost gifted DeMbare when his attempted clearance was picked up by Mambare, who shot high and over the bar.
In the second half, Dynamos had a shot cleared off the line after a melee.
As the game wore down, a sense of stalemate was seemingly settling in although DeMbare kept pushing.
Mutasa made a double substitution, introducing Kangadze and Kudzai Dhemere for Masimba Mambare and Gift Saunyama.
It proved to be the points-clincher as Kangadze scored the winning goal.
Chapungu coach Tendai Chikuni clashed with the Dynamos technical team after the match, complaining that among other things Mutasa crossed the line onto the pitch before the game ended.
He also complained about the officiating.
“As small teams, we are not being protected. We can’t develop football like this when officials decide matches. I am not disappointed that Dynamos won, but how did they win,” he quizzed without elaborating which incident he referred to as the goal and its build up all looked legal.
“If Dynamos is going to win, they should win fairly,” he said. Teams
Dynamos: T Mateyaunga, P Makaha, R Matova (V Kadonzvo 77), M Machazane, G Mukambi, T Chipunza, G Saunyama (K Dhemere 69), C Kapupurika, C Epoupa, M Mambare (Q Kangadze 69).
Chapungu: R Mazingi, P Marufu, R Bota, T Ndlovu, B Mbavarira, C kwaramba, I Nyoni, E Chitauro, A Tavarwisa (P Kumbula 84), O Mukuradare (M Mavuto 71), B Sahondo.
