Dynamos go top
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2 Bantu Rovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 GIANTS Dynamos last night sent a powerful warning to their opponents in the Castle Lager Premiership race when they muscled their way to the top of the log table for the first time in over two years following a comfortable victory over Bantu Rovers at the National Sports Stadium.
Midfielder Denver Mukamba scripted the storyline with a sublime finish in the second half after Lincolin Zvasiya had headed the Glamour Boys into the lead soon after the interval from the midfielder’s corner kick.
This was the sixth straight victory for the former champions, who have staged a remarkable comeback after a slow start in the campaign.
Dynamos last sat on the top of the log standings in April 2015, but a good run under Lloyd Mutasa and Biggie Zuze has had their supporters believing again after they assumed overnight control with pacesetters Ngezi Platinum set to engage the other championship aspirants FC Platinum at Baobab this afternoon.
“I think it’s good for the guys. They have worked hard to be where they are today. We just hope for the best in our next assignment and I think they are going to enjoy seeing themselves to be where they are. You know we didn’t start well, but for now it’s good for us and I think it will build more confidence to the players.
“We just have to keep on working because all the 18 teams want the league title. Even Dynamos want the title, but I think we just have to approach our games the way we have been doing and then we will see where we will be at the end of the year. But I think we have worked hard to be where we are and we will keep working,” said Zuze.
DeMbare, who have a decision pending on their abandoned match against Chapungu last month, are sitting pretty on 29 points, one ahead of nearest rivals Ngezi Platinum and Chicken Inn.
The Harare giants started briskly last night with Christian Epoupa twice coming close in the opening minutes. But the visitors managed to soak the pressure and had a clean sheet by half time.
Bantu Rovers even made some sporadic forays into the DeMbare territory with their youthful captain Bukhosi Sibanda, who is currently the league’s top goal scorer with 10 goals, making life difficult for the hosts in the middle of the park.
However, Dynamos regained the upper hand with Mukamba combining with Cleopas Kapupurika, Epoupa and Takunda Sadiki to press for the breakthrough which eventually came in the 51st minute when Zvasiya headed home from a corner kick by the midfielder.
Mukamba took the corner kick after he had forced a good save from goalkeeper Notice Dube.
Kapupurika could have doubled DeMbare’s tally six minutes later, but Bantu Rovers had defender Dumisani Ndlovu to thank after he headed the ball out from the line with the keeper way off the goal area.
Bantu Rovers survived a flurry, but Mukamba still managed to give Dynamos the cushion in the 78th minute when he controlled the ball on the edge of the box and fired home a low left footer.
DeMbare assistant coach Zuze was charmed by the midfielder as he was involved in both goals. Mukamba scored again last week in the 4-3 win over Bulawayo City and has now taken his tally this season to four goals.
“You can see he is our engine room and whenever he stops playing the team also stops functioning. I think the technical team worked very hard on him because his level of fitness wasn’t that good, but now you can see that he can last the distance, which is good for us.
“He is also chipping in with goals and has provided assists for the other players upfront,” said Zuze.
Bantu Rovers have not won a match since Week seven when they beat Yadah 7-2. Their assistant coach Joseph Sibindi was happy with the positives from the match despite falling to their 12th defeat in 16 outings.
“From the way we played, I’m sure you were also surprised that we were not push overs. Otherwise the boys just lost concentration on that corner kick which was the goal which maybe destabilised them a little bit. Then the other goal that guy (Mukamba) was left alone to manouevre hence that good strike. I think that was a good goal for Dynamos,” said Sibindi.
Teams
Dynamos: T.Mateyaunga P. Makaha, P. Dube, L. Zvasiya, M. Machazane, T. Chipunza ( Dhemere, 84th min), O Mwerahari, D. Mukamba (Macheke,,90 th min), T. Sadiki (M. Mambare, 79th min), C. Kapupurika, C. Epoupa.
Bantu Rovers: N. Dube, Khumbuyani, K. Dzingwe, D. Ndlovu, F. Sibanda, M. Chitambwe (N. Garayi, 67th minute), S. Nyahwa, L. Ndlela, B. Sibanda, O. Chirinda, B. Ncube (N. Sianchali, 76th min).