Herentals……0 Dynamos…..(1) 2
DYNAMOS’ huge gamble to appoint inexperienced coach Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe is bearing fruit after they continued with their fine run when they overcame Herentals at Rufaro Stadium yesterday to pull further away from the relegation matrix.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
Chigowe was plucked from the obscurity of the club’s junior teams after the club parted ways with Lloyd Mutasa following a spate of dreadful results that had seen the team slide into the murky waters of relegation.
It was a bold decision by the club hierarchy and they have been vindicated so far, as the interim coach has now guided them to three successive wins. Following this win, DeMbare are now one win away to secure their status in the league.
Mablanyo, who the supporters are already warming up to, has not lost a match at home since taking over the hot seat.
Yet it was unthinkable that the unassuming coach would turn around the fortunes of the team, whose destiny had become a subject of debate.
Yesterday, it was that man Valentine “V11” Kadonzvo, who once again shone the brightest, opening the scoring just two minutes into the match with a superb goal worth of a goal of the season award.
- 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
It was his third in the last three matches.
The former Pamushana High School student picked the ball wide on the left and nut-megged two defenders before squeezing a low shot into the left corner of the post.
On a day when match-day referee Ruzive Ruzive hogged the limelight for making some questionable decisions in favour of Herentals, it was Dynamos who looked more determined to win this one.
Herentals forward Gibson Chaibva also came close a minute after Kadonzvo’s footwork had bemused the home side defenders, but his effort went wide
But as Dynamos continued to impose themselves on the match, they had a penalty appeal waved away by Ruzive moments later when Carlos Mavhurume handled the ball inside the penalty area.
Blessing Moyo, the captain of the day for Dynamos, nearly doubled the lead with a stunning free kick from the edge of the area on 28 minutes.
Then Kudzanai Dhemere doubled the lead after 53 minutes, with a header from a pass by Moyo. Thereafter, Chigowe’s men were all over their opponents, launching wave after wave of attacks.
But to their credit, Herentals proved difficult to break down in the closing stages. But in the end, it was Dynamos who walked away with a deserved victory which saw them move back to 11th position with 40 points.
Dynamos host Triangle next in the league, the same team they are playing on Sunday in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-final.
Mablanyo was left purring on the performance of his players, in particular the “improving” Kadonzvo.
“Obviously, it’s satisfying to collect three points on the trot. The team looked beautiful against Herentals today. They dominated and kept possession, but in the dying moments of the match we lost discipline, I was not happy because the game can turn on its head and we will have to work on that,” Chigowe said.
His counterpart, Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva, admitted they lost to a more determined side, but blamed his side for lack of discipline.
“It’s a game I can say we went to sleep. It’s a game we lost due to lack of concentration. We conceded in the first minute of the match and we conceded the second goal five minutes after the break, that showed we lack determination. Dynamos had the determination, hunger and the fighting spirit. We were not ourselves today in attack, defence and in fighting,” he said.
Teams
Herentals: P Tafiremutsa, T Benza (B Majarira, 46’), C Mavhurume, W Kapumha, W Chimbetu, G Chinobva (J Mutudza, 54’), I Benza, B Maunganidze, R Hachiro, P Chota, B Majarira (H Chikoza, 46’)
Dynamos: S Chinani, B Moyo, P Dube, P Makaha, J Tigere, G Mukambi, K Dhemere, (C Kapupurika, 70’), G Saunyama, (J Marufu, 77’), M Mukumba, Q Kangadzi (T Macheke, 43’), V Kadonzvo
