DeMbare suffer title setback
DYNAMOS’ title dream suffered a reversal yesterday after they were held to a draw by relegation-threatened Tsholotsho in a Castle Lager Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium.
Dynamos…………(1)1
Tsholotsho……(1)1
The Glamour Boys went into the match on top of the log the table and needed a win to remain on the summit, but they struggled to penetrate a resilient Tsholotsho who, with a bit of luck, could have even emerged victorious.
In the end, they walked away with a point, in their second successive draw as the championship race staggers towards the finishing line.
Five matches are left before the end of the campaign and with a tough trip to Ngezi Platinum next, and other difficult assignments to follow, this has complicated Dynamos’ situation. They were expected to collect maximum points, especially given that they were playing at home.
However, Dynamos never really looked like a team that wanted to win it. Their body language appeared to show lack of verve and desire with their approach to the match pedestrian.
It was the visitors instead who showed the hunger, carving out some good chances. But it was the Glamour Boys who went into the lead on the quarter hour mark, the goal – a speculative long-range grounder coming from an unlikely source – Tichaona Chipunza.
The lead however, proved temporary as the visitors levelled matters two minutes laterafter Lucky Nyathi beat goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga to fire the ball to the far left.
After the goal, Dynamos looked desperate and were just whacking the ball, hoping it would land in a good spot and the visitors were just too happy to fasten on the loose balls. On 27 minutes, Nqobile Mpala missed a headed opportunity.
Tsholotsho had a goal disallowed at the closing stages of the match, after substitute Thabani Moyo put the ball in the back of the nets as they pressed for the second goal.
Coach Darlington Dodo said in his post-match interview, he was not happy with a draw.
“We are not really happy with a draw. Had we been more clinical we could have won the match, we lost two points.”
His Dynamos counterpart Lloyd Mutasa admitted his charges lacked the fighting spirit.
“We played and scored, but I thought we gave them the goal they didn’t deserve, hence, we dropped two points. Such is football, sometimes you learn the hard way and it goes back to the coach. We need to pull up our socks and focus on the next encounter. We said it before, that our advantage is that we don’t need to look at how the other teams play, but we just have to give it a go, but if you look at how we responded, it was like we have won the match already. The body language wasn’t good, something that is worrisome at this stage,” Mutasa said.
Teams
Dynamos: T Mateyaunga, P Makaha, R Matova, M Machazane, N Zvasiya, T Chipunza, G Mukambi (J Konono 78), O Mushure, M Mambare, (E Mandiranga 62′), (T Macheke 46′) D Mukamba, C Epoupa
Tsholotsho: C Mariyoni, T Nyabinde, B Madanhie, X Ndlovu, M Phiri, T Tavengwa, S Mhlanga, M Mushonga,(T Moyo 88), A Ncube, L Nyathi, N Mpala (N Gama 90′)
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
