DYNAMOS….(1)2 MUSHOWANI…..0
DYNAMOS got off to a bright start in the second half of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign to register an impressive home win against Mushowani at Rufaro yesterday.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The Harare giants have set themselves a target of winning their first five matches in the second half and they are well on course after bagging a full set of points.
A first-half own goal by Mushowani, whose defender deflected a goal-bound shot by Ngandu Mangala, helped the home team into the lead before midfielder Ali Maliselo — an unlikely source — scored the insurance goal on 51 minutes. The win took Dynamos to 27 points, effectively closing in on the title chasers.
The visitors, however, gave the home team a scare, with Crybert Muvuti coming close after eight minutes with a stunning free kick outside the penalty area.
But the Glamour Boys responded towards the end of the first half when Evans Katema attempted a bicycle kick before an alert Mangala pounced on the ball and the effort was aided by a Mushowani defender into the nets in the 42 second.
The goal reinvigorated Dynamos as they continued to launch a series of raids and were duly rewarded on 51 minutes when Godknows Murwira set up Maliselo, whose low shot beat goalkeeper Admire Masuku.
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Dynamos striker Nigel Katawa then later missed another glorious opportunity in a one-on-one with the keeper. Mushowani could have pulled one back through substitute Ishmael Nyathi, but his effort was saved by goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya.
Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya was pleased with the outcome.
‘I am happy with the result. I am happy with scoring two goals after a long time. It’s the first time we have scored two goals since I came in and it’s quite refreshing, though overall I was not impressed by the performance,” he said.
“There is a certain level we want to reach. There is a certain standard we want to achieve and I think we are not yet there. But it’s coming up and we hope to build on this result, build on the momentum. We have set ourselves a target of winning our first five games and so far, we have won one and we hope we will do much better,” he said.
His counterpart, Newman Mashipe, said they were outclassed by their opponents.
“We didn’t play our normal game. We played too deep, we were not offensive and our passes were not accurate,” he said.
“We were outclassed and Dynamos were on top of the situation from the onset. We now have to work hard to manage the situation that we are in. We are in the relegation zone and we have to pull up our socks, but I am confident we will survive.”
Teams:
Dynamos: M Diya, G Mukambi, M Mawadza, E Jalai, T Muringani, A Maliselo, G Murwira, A Gutu (T Chisi, 53’), N Katawa (C Ngahan, 72’), N Mangala, E Katema
Mushowani: A Masuku, S Savare, D Melusi, E Mafirenyika, W Tafa, C Dzingai B Phiri, C Muvuti (J Tulani, 55’), S Chikewerengwe (I Nyanhi, 58’), P Charamba, A Kambanje.
