Hwange............................(1) 1
Dynamos Dynamos......... (0)0
HWANGE produced one of the biggest upsets of the Zifa Munhumutapa Challenge Cup so far, edging Dynamos 1-0 at Colliery Stadium yesterday to send the Harare giants crashing out in the Round of 32.
Morestuff Ncube's stunning first-half strike proved decisive as the coalminers weathered sustained pressure from Dynamos before producing a disciplined defensive display to book their place in the last 16.
Ncube struck in first-half optional time, turning sharply onto a long ball before unleashing a thunderous first-time effort that flew into the roof of the net, giving Dynamos goalkeeper Tatenda Makoni no chance.
The goal came against the run of play, with Dynamos enjoying the better share of possession and creating several opportunities, but their profligacy in front of goal ultimately proved costly.
Hwange, cheered on by a vociferous home crowd, defended resolutely after the break, with captain Splendour Mwembe leading from the back as the hosts repeatedly frustrated Dynamos' attempts to find an equaliser.
Dynamos' attacking threat was further blunted by the surprise withdrawal of Burkina Faso international Ben Daouda Sidibé and livewire Leroy Mavhunga midway through the second half.
- Panashe Mutasa comes of age at Tenax FC
- Dynamos back to winning ways
- Ndiraya backs Antonio to impress in Belgium
- Artists struggling to grasp intellectual property rights
Keep Reading
The pair were replaced by Frank Agyemang and Witness Shave, but Dynamos struggled to maintain their earlier attacking momentum and failed to find a way through the Hwange rearguard.
The closest Dynamos came to restoring parity was in first-half optional time when Elton Njini squandered a glorious opportunity after ghosting in from the blind side to meet Christopher Netty's cross.
With the goal at his mercy, Njini could only blaze his effort over the bar.
Hwange coach Njabulo Dube hailed his players for their resilience and said the victory was a significant achievement for the community and the Southern Region.
“It was a tough game. I'm very happy about the positive result we got from this game. The boys gave a good fight, and the game demanded much physically and in terms of concentration,” Dube said.
“We defended for most of the second half, just waiting for a chance to hit them on the counter-attack.
“For every team playing away from home, there is always a challenge, and Dynamos always rely on their 12th man, but travelling this distance minimised their strength.
“Overall, I'm so much happy for the boys. I'm happy for the community and, above all, I'm very much happy for the Southern Region league.”
Dynamos coach Aristica Cioaba was left to rue his side's failure to convert their chances.
“We controlled the game from the first to the last minute. We missed a lot of chances, and it wasn't our day,” Cioaba said.
“Our opponent had one shot on target the whole 90 minutes and scored. We will review this game and see what is good and what is not, especially considering that we had more than five clear-cut chances.
“We played well. Everyone who watched the game saw it. We tried our best, but luck wasn't on our side.
“We needed concentration from our forwards to score. We have to go back and fix that.
“We now need to play for our fans because they are the most important part of our team.”
The result sees Hwange march into the last 16 while Dynamos are left to concentrate on their league campaign.
