DYNAMOS FC . . . . . . . . . . . (3) 3
TRIANGLE FC . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 0
THERE was an almost palpable sense of relief both on the pitch and in the stands at Rufaro Stadium yesterday as Dynamos produced a vintage performance to dismantle a struggling Triangle and emphatically snap a woeful six-match winless streak.
The toxic jeers and tense murmurs that have haunted the Harare giants in recent weeks were replaced by a thunderous standing ovation.
At the final whistle, players wreathed in smiles embraced one another, while the DeMbare supporters belted out celebratory songs, dancing long into the evening to salute a team that had endured weeks of intense frustration.
Before kick-off, head coach Genesis Mangombe had been walking a tightrope, facing enormous pressure following a string of defeats and draws. Yesterday, however, everything flipped in a blistering and ruthless opening 22 minutes of football.
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Returning captain Shadreck Nyahwa ignited the rout emphatically.
In the 12th minute, his trademark long-range drive flew past Triangle goalkeeper Panashe Nyabunga to give Dynamos a well-deserved lead.
The celebrations had barely died down when Ghanaian import Christopher Nettey doubled the advantage in the 18th minute, blasting home his first goal since joining the Glamour Boys at the start of the season after the referee smartly played advantage following a foul on Jairosi Kasondo.
Stunned by the early onslaught, Triangle's new coach Lloyd Chitembwe reacted immediately by introducing former Dynamos striker Emmanuel Paga in the 19th minute.
But there was no letting up from the hosts.
Just four minutes later, Leeroy Mavunga made amends for an earlier miss by sweeping home a clever lay-off from the industrious Perfect Chikwende, who had an absolute blinder of a match.
Reflecting on the dominant display, a visibly relieved Mangombe cut a completely transformed and jovial figure during his post-match media briefing.
“I’m happy the boys played very well. We were winning every duel. At the end of the day, we managed to score the clear-cut chances we created,” he said.
Mangombe revealed that his intimate knowledge of Triangle, a side he coached last season, proved to be the ultimate trump card in unlocking the Lowveld outfit.
“I know the players from my time there, and I know the weaknesses of the team. I told my team that if we can penetrate through the vertical passes into the final third, we can definitely get goals. I’m happy the players managed to do that. If we were lucky in the first half, we could have scored maybe five goals,” he said.
The comprehensive victory marks the first time Dynamos have recorded a 3-0 win under Mangombe across his two spells in charge.
The vital three points catapulted the Harare giants to sixth position on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League log standings with 21 points, leaving them just six points adrift of log leaders Hardrock after 13 rounds of fixtures.
Dynamos now face a daunting trip to Kwekwe to clash with the log leaders in their next match, a fixture they must win to firmly close the gap at the top. While they will undoubtedly need to step up a gear to return from Chahwanda Stadium with maximum points, Mangombe firmly believes yesterday’s masterclass can be the catalyst for a sustained winning run.
In stark contrast, the heavy defeat condemned Triangle to their fourth loss in five matches, causing them to slide down to a perilous 16th on the log table with a mere eight points.
For Chitembwe, it was a brutal baptism of fire on his first return to the capital since taking the reins at the Lowveld side last month.
While Chitembwe took some solace in his team’s spirited second-half revival, he pulled no punches when assessing their disastrous opening exchange.
“We lost it in the first half. We were a bit naive. The players were not really as committed as I expected them to be, but such is football. I thought our first-half performance was horrendous. We only improved in the second half with a show of grit. I saw the fight in the second half,” he said.
Triangle did show flashes of life before the break. Paga almost caught Dynamos goalkeeper Tatenda Makoni off guard with an audacious long-range effort from his own half, forcing the keeper to scramble back and tip the ball over.
Later, Jayden Bakari squandered a golden opportunity in the 40th minute when he dispossessed a dithering Isaac Landu, choosing to shoot from an acute angle instead of squaring the ball to an unmarked Paga.
Dynamos remained on the front foot after the interval, with Wisdom Mutasa and Anotida Gwatidzo testing their luck from distance. Kasondo thought he had added a fourth in the 48th minute, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The home side was handed a perfect opportunity to put a glossy finish on the scoreline in the 74th minute when Aaron Zeka fouled the unstoppable Chikwende inside the box.
Kasondo stepped up to take the penalty but dragged his effort wide of the target, marking his second miss from the spot in five attempts this season.
As the match wound down, Triangle pushed hard for a late consolation, but they found the DeMbare backline unyielding.
Nettey proved his worth defensively with a dramatic goal-line clearance after Makoni was beaten, before the Dynamos shot-stopper produced a spectacular reflex save at the death to deny Bakari’s powerful header, ensuring a well-deserved clean sheet on a memorable afternoon at Rufaro.