BY FORTUNE MBELE
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Chigowe is feeling the pressure following his team’s two successive defeats in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, but he firmly believes that they will recover from the early season slump.
DeMbare’s 2-0 defeat to Chicken inn on Saturday followed a home loss to Hwange the previous week, results that have seen the mood changing in the Dynamos camp.
The season started off with a lot of optimism for the Harare giants after they beat newboys Mushowani Stars 2-0 at Rufaro Stadium in the season opener.
However, despite flashes of brilliance, DeMbare have failed to live up to expectations in the last two encounters and just three matches into the season, the technical team is already under pressure.
Apparently, the Harare giants also started the league on a low note last season under Lloyd Mutasa and went for seven games without win, losing four games and playing three draws before beating Bulawayo City and Chapungu.
Mutasa was eventually relieved of his post and shunted to a peripheral role with Biggie Zuze taking over the reigns.
Zuze did not last long as he was also sacked after only four matches, with Mutasa bouncing back only to be elbowed out again in September for Chigowe to take over and plot Dynamos’ rise from the relegation zone.
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After presiding over the defeat to Chicken Inn on Saturday, Chigowe said he felt the pressure, but he believes that he still has something up his sleeve to steer the Dynamos ship.
“In the job of any coach when the team is not doing well, there is pressure. Last week’s defeat (to Hwange) was a game which we completely dominated and should have won, but unfortunately, there were some blunders. Against Chicken Inn, it was a tough game and we expected such. Dynamos are a big club and like any other team they want results and if they don’t come we are under pressure. We have to learn to live with that. If the kitchen becomes too hot, then you got to get out, but I still can do something about this team,” Chigowe said.
An out-of-sorts new-look Dynamos conceded two goals in the first half with their fans running amok disputing the second goal by Chicken Inn’s Malvin Gaki, who they reckoned scored from an offside position and were also not happy with their skipper Edward Sadomba being shown the red card by referee Hardley Ndazi just before half time.
Clive Augusto scored the first goal from the penalty spot.
Dynamos could face the wrath of the Premier Soccer League after their fans turned violent, throwing missiles onto the pitch, causing a four-minute stoppage in the first half.
The second half was better for Dynamos with substitute Godfrey Mukambi, Jimmy Tigere and right-back Ali Joseph Maliselo returning from the breather rejuvenated.
Chigowe believes Dynamos have the right personnel to see the team through.
“We have got a good pool of players and we have got depth. We must also take into cognisance that out of the 30-man squad we had last year, only four players remained and we are still gelling as a team. I think we have got the material to do the job.”
DeMbare host Herentals at Rufaro next Monday in their next league match. The team, populary known as the Glamour Boys, struggled to put together a full squad, missing key players in every match that they have played so far.
They will be without Sadomba when they take on Herentals as he serves suspension following his sending off on Saturday.
Fixtures
Friday: Yadah v TelOne (Rufaro), Bulawayo Chiefs v ZPC Kariba (Luveve), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Chicken Inn (Baobab)
Saturday: Black Rhinos v Caps United (Rufaro), FC Platinum v Hwange (Mandava)
Monday: Dynamos v Herentals (Rufaro), Manica Diamonds v Mushowani (Gibbo), Chapungu v Harare City (Mandava), Highlanders v Triangle (Barbourfields).
