Team changes fail to deliver results for DeMbare

ZIMBABWE international goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva was one of those axed but the changes made failed to provide the spark needed as Dynamos search for an elusive Castle Lager Premiership win stretched to a sixth game at Rufaro yesterday.

Mukuruva, the Warriors’ first-choice ‘ keeper who is reported to be angling for a move to Tanzania, was sacrificed in the changes made by coach Lloyd Mutasa amid media speculation yesterday that there is a clique of players who have allegedly been clandestinely working to sabotage the coach and force his removal from his job.

But the changes couldn’t deliver the victory Mutasa badly wanted and a team whose toothless attack has been described as its Achilles Heel needed Masimba Mambare, once again, to score for them.

Since beating bottom club Border Strikers at Rufaro before the mid-season break only Mambare has scored for Dynamos and his two goals, which have come in the last two games, have failed to inspire the Glamour Boys to victory.

Apart from Mukuruva, Mutasa yesterday dropped four other key players who were in action in the previous defeat against Border Strikers - Roderick Mutuma, skipper Stephen Alimenda, Denver Mukamba and Dominic Mukandi - amid allegations of alcohol abuse and sabotage.

Yesterday, the coach decided to give a run to some of the fringe players such as second-choice goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga and midfielder Musa Madhiri.

While his son Wisdom Mutasa finally made his debut appearance for DeMbare.

But it was the same script for DeMbare in yesterday’s match despite scoring first through hrough midfielder Mambare just after quarter of an hour.

Bulawayo City equalised in the second half through midfielder Sipho Ndlovu.

Even though Mutasa decided cided to wield the axe on some of his senior players, the poor run continued for DeMbare.

Mutasa defended his decisioncision to drop some of his senior players and said he had to change his team as he sought for a winning formula. la.

“I think every coach would uld want to field a winning team, a team he thinks is goingoing to deliver and you can only select your team on merit rit and we are not looking at names and it’s a pity that someme of us we still want to talk about names but you look at how Dynamos is performing it is for everybody to see that t there is no consistency and you look at who was playingg in those matches.

“Would you, if you are in n my shoes, want keep on putting those peoplele and hope for consistency. You need consistency at training as well as you need consistency in terms of behaviour, you need consistency in terms of howw you execute your things and youu can only get consistency here iff you have it at the training fieldd and to that is what we are doing,” said Mutasa.

There has been reports of alcohol abuse and sabotage in DeMbare camp from the senior players but the coach was rather diplomatic.

“I wouldn’t want to say much about times if you know how a player performs at training and if he is not performing... wouldn’t you think otherwise.

“I wouldn’t want as a coach to talk more about sabotage, more about things that my eyes cannot see but what is very important for this institution is you look at the way the youngsters behave, you look at the way they train and those who have got the zeal to don the blue and white jersey are the ones. Part of them you have seen that but at them today and you will see them going forward,” said Mutasa. The former midfielder said he picked a lot of positives from some of the players he thrust into the first team yesterday,yesterday particularly midfielder Musa Madhiri and going fo forward he will rectify on some of the mistakes they mademad in the game. The formerfo FC Platinum and Whawha mentor, who last won a league match on July 9 when his team beat Border StrikersS at Rufaro, however, said he was not under anyan pressure. “Obviously,“Obvio in a world of football you play six games and nobodynob would want to play to lose a match but under ce certain circumstances you play a match like this, we lost lastla week we come here and had five, six changes for differentdiffer reasons but still the youngsters did well. “But I am not an exception but such is football and I am not under any pressure,” said Mutasa. Dyn Dynamos were forced to change goalkeeper MateyaungaMatey with 15 minutes left when he was injuredinjur and was replaced by third-choice goalkeeper AshleyAshl Reyners. However, there was some drama as t the former Triangle keeper was forced to put a Dyn Dynamos infield player jersey on top of his yellow goa goalkeeper’s shirt which clashed with the Bulawayo City strip. The Glamour Boys have been featuring in a predominantlypr white strip for their home matches althoughaltho the blue strip is their home strip. De DeMbare could have snatched a late winner in the 89t 89th minute when striker Kudzanayi Nyakasaka’s header w was saved by the keeper.

Bulawayo City coach Try Ncube was left satisfied with a point picked up on the road.

He has presided over two draws since taking over from his suspended bosses.

“Considering that we were playing away from home I have to say I am happy about the point collected although I wanted three points.

“We want to collect as many points as we can because this league is very tough... there is a lot of competition down there,” said Ncube.