If Dynamos interim coach Biggie Zuze underestimated the job on his hands when he took over the reigns at the club, he got a rude awakening delivered by a brilliant FC Platinum side in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.
BY HENRY MHARA DYNAMOS . . . . . . . . . . 0 FC PLATINUM . . . . .(2) 2
The defeat plunged the Harare giants deeper into a crisis.
Reigning Soccer Star of the Year, Rodwell Chinyengetere, netted two quality goals in a blistering opening 16 minutes of the match, scoring just after four minutes, before completing his brace 12 minutes later.
It’s no secret that Dynamos have been poor this season, but this was probably the team’s worst performance so far in this campaign. Or maybe, FC Platinum were just too dazzling.
Where the hosts were sluggish, FC Platinum were energetic. The visitors looked far much sharper and their intention was obvious from the first whistle as they simply kept the ball to themselves, as Dynamos chased shadows.
Their movement on and off the ball was brilliant, their passing was intricate and marvellous, and when the opening goal arrived, it was hardly a surprise for those watching this one-sided game.
Chinyengetere wriggled his way into the box before beating the keeper, Tonderai Mateyaunga with a low shot. Dynamos skipper, Marshall Machazane, should take the blame for the goal, his weak block in a 50/50 challenge failing to stop the Soccer Star of the Year in his tracks.
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DeMbare, with Zuze looking on in disbelief, were simply shredded to bits, unable to contain the intricate play by the FC Platinum players, with the goal scorer Chinyengetere proving a nuisance to Machazane and company.
Within minutes, any hopes of recovery were effectively extinguished by another incisive and precise move up field by the visiting team, again involving Chinyengetere.
The attacking midfielder made a driving run forward and slipped a pass between defenders to Mkhokeli Dube and the veteran striker shielded the ball well, before laying it back to Chinyengetere, who immaculately curled it past the helpless Mateyaunga.
The gulf in quality between the two sides was too apparent and Zuze’s reaction to his guests’ dominance was to pull out Raphael Manuvire after just 32 minutes.
The midfielder, who is returning from injury, was not amused by the move and he returned the favour by ignoring his coach’s stretched hand for a handshake.
Dynamos players were looking more and more frustrated as the half wore on, and resorted to rough play, with the double scorer on the receiving end of most of the crude tackles.
How the clumsy Godfrey Mukambi was allowed by the normally punitive referee, Norman Matemera, to play at the first 45 minutes, is still a mystery.
So poor were Dynamos in the opening half that they had one chance at goal, a header by striker Quality Kangadze, which drifted wide.
The home side were fortunate to go to the break only two goals behind, because it could have been worse had Dube directed two free headers on target.
With the job done in the first half, FC Platinum simply had to manage the remainder of the match well and they did it to perfection.
It was such a polished performance that the home side supporters even couldn’t resist, cheering the away side’s every pass in the referees’ optional time. Dynamos players managed to touch the ball just three times in as many minutes.
Teams
Dynamos: T Mateyaunga, J Tigere, M Machazane, P Makaha, G Mukambi, B Moyo, M Mukumba, E Mandiranga (T Macheke, 84′), K Dhemere (K Kumwala, 46′), R Manuvire (C Kapupurika, 32′), Q Kangadze
FC Platinum: P Mhari, R Muduviwa, G Bello, K Moyo, E Moyo, W Mhango, R Chinyengetere (N Tigere, 80′), F Madhanaga, R Kutsanzira, A Sadiki (G Mbweti, 88′), M Dube (A Eonde, 88′)
