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NewsDay

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Prince dumps De Mbare

Sport
Highlanders striker Prince Dube (pictured) continued with his scoring form after he grabbed the all-important first half goal that sent Dynamos tumbling out of the Chibuku Super Cup in a dull first round encounter at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.

BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE

Dynamos………………0

Highlanders…..(1)1

Highlanders striker Prince Dube (pictured) continued with his scoring form after he grabbed the all-important first half goal that sent Dynamos tumbling out of the Chibuku Super Cup in a dull first round encounter at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.

Two of the traditional giants of local football connived to serve up a boring match which failed to live up to its billing.

Bosso did little to deserve the goal following a blunder at the back by the usually dependable Munyaradzi Mawadza which allowed Dube to take advantage and score just before the half hour mark.

The visitors defended the goal with everything they had to gift new Dutch coach Hendrikus Pieter de Jongh a winning start at the club. De Jongh was delighted with the win.

“Yes, I am happy with the victory, especially for me because it was officially the first game the week after coming in. The first game was in Bulawayo and had a good start against Bulawayo Chiefs with a victory so the mood and the spirit in the team was very good,” de Jongh said in his post-match interview.

“Today, I think in the first half each team tried to play football on a terrible pitch, the pitch was very terrible it’s not good for professional football. The opponent played with a lot of players behind the ball and it was very difficult.

“I think we scored at the right moment and just before the break we had a good chance for a second goal. The second half was more difficult because Dynamos played long balls to try and push us backwards, but we won and I am happy. We are in the next round and it’s important for the club and I look forward to the future,” he added.

The two clubs have struggled in this competition since its return on the local scene five years ago and were both desperate to do well this time.

It was cagey start to the match, with both teams failing to string together passes, a bit physical and referee Norman Matemera was whistle-happy, making it impossible for the match to flow.

Save for a hopeful long range shot by Godknows Murwira early on, both goalkeepers had little to do in the first half.

Highlanders broke the deadlock in the 28th minute after Mawadza failed to deal with harmless looking long ball, allowing it to bounce and Dube ghosted in, robbing him and poke home. One would have thought that the goal would change the complexion of the game, but that didn’t happen.

Dynamos had a strong start to the second half, but it was Bosso who came closest to scoring through Tinashe Makanda’s speculative snap shot from the edge of the box skimming off the top of the cross bar.

The Bulawayo giants comfortably defended their goal to hand Dynamos a first defeat in 12 matches.

“We came into the game wanting to win in spirit, but physically we were not prepared to win today. I think we were just poor. We were playing at home against a team playing their second game inside five days and we were fresh. I thought we would push ourselves and I am disappointed by the way we went about our business,” Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya said.

“We wanted this cup because it’s something which we had control over and I thought we would fight to get a result. It looks like each time we play against Highlanders we score against ourselves,” Ndiraya added.

Interestingly, the last time Dynamos lost, it’s was against Highlanders at Barbourfields by a similar scoreline and again a howler by goalkeeper Simba Chinani gifted the hosts a win. It appears as if it’s going to be yet another trophy-less season for Dynamos who are currently sixth on the log table, seven points behind leader Chicken Inn with 11 matches to go. Teams

Dynamos: S Chinani, E Jalai, T Muringai, J Tigere, M Mawadza (S Mupamaonde 58’), G Mukambi, N Katawa, G Murwira, A Maliselo, T Macheke (J Ngahan 67’), N Mangala (J Selemani 58’)

Bosso: A Sibanda, M Phiri, B Banda, R Lunga, N Masuku, A Mbeba, P Muduhwa, M Ndlovu, T Makanda ( P Nyirenda 75’), P Dube, D Mhindirira