Dynamos 0-1 Herentals
HARARE GIANTS Dynamos’ title hopes suffered what might turn out to be a knockout blow when they lost at home to Herentals at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
DeMbare coach Genesis Mangombe admitted his side was not good enough after Herentals dominated all departments to secure maximum points following an eighth minute own goal by Dynamos skipper Frank Makarati.
Playing 24 hours after Ngezi Platinum Stars were stopped from increasing the lead at the top by FC Platinum with a 1-0 defeat at Mandava, Dynamos needed a win against their bogey side to keep abreast with the teams at the apex.
But they failed to capitalise and the defeat to the Students meant they remained 11 points adrift of leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars and six behind FC Platinum, albeit with a game in hand, going into the last eight games of the season.
“We lost points in a game which we should have won (to reduce the gap at the top). At the end of the day a game of football is determined at the end of the 90 minutes,” said Mangombe.
“We tried our best, we did everything but the opponents were organised in terms of defence and they managed to protect the goal.
“Thumbs up to them but we go back to the drawing board and work on how best to break a challenge like this one,” said Mangombe.
DeMbare, who played a goalless draw at Triangle during the midweek, had a particularly challenging outing against Herentals.
The Students signalled their intentions for this match just from the way their coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva assembled his team for yesterday’s game.
To match pace and energy of their opponents, the Herentals coach omitted 51-year-old club owner Innocent Benza from the starting lineup in favour of the younger and more adventurous.
Benza watched from the bench as his side took control of the game early in the first half, with his son Tino Benza working hard upfront after he was given the captain’s armband.
Herentals neutralised the midfield where the usually dominant DeMbare trio of Donald Mudadi, Junior Makunike and Tanaka
Shandirwa were not given the space to play.
The Students surged ahead after only eight minutes when former DeMbare midfielder Ali Maliselo’s shot was deflected into the near post from the of left leg of Dynamos skipper Makarati.
Maliselo benefited from an exchange of passes with Tino Benza before rushing into the box and riffling home from close range.
Dynamos striker Nyasha Chintuli fluffed a good opportunity to equalise from a good cross from the right by Mudadi with 18 minutes on the clock when he challenged for the ball late.
Mudadi, who showed glimpses, had the DeMbae fans on their feet on the 34th minute when he unleashed a trademark cracker from the edge of the box but the ball crashed against the cross bar and bounced back into play from the line.
But then Marowa could have doubled the lead for the Students after skipper Makarati had lost possession on the edge of the box a few moments later.
The diminutive winger embraced the error by the DeMbare skipper with both hands and made a swift move into the box where he came face to face with goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa. Marowa did well with a low shot but the goalie was equal to the task before DeMbare cleared their lines.
Herentals goalkeeper Nevermind Antonio ensured the Students carried their lead to the breather when he parried out a dangerous freekick from Issa Sadiki out for a corner kick.
Antonio, who frustrated the hosts with time-wasting antics that earned him a booking, made another fine save moments after the restart when he tipped the ball over the bar with his finger-tip from a a ferocious shot by Mudadi once more on the edge of the box.
Dynamos were clearly outplayed but substitute Elton Chikona’s rasping shot was denied by the woodwork as Herentals did their best to frustrate their opponents.
“When you play a big team; when they are trailing, try to frustrate them so that they get demotivated in spirit. This is our way of doing things. I think you have seen this; for many years Herentals are a frustrating team and that’ our strategy,” said Herentals coach Mutiwekuziva
He was particularly impressed by the fighting spirit demonstrated by his charges, who now moved to 39 points, just one behind Dynamos on the log standings.
“We did very well as a team and we worked hard. Dynamos were very good today, being a possessional team but we knew it when we came today that they were going to do all this that they were doing in terms of possession.
“But we knew that the creation of space and the utilization of chance when you do counter-attack or fact break could be the only solution to break them and then we defend well.
“This is what we just did; I am happy with the way the players applied themselves in looking for the goal, defending and also trying to neutralize their midfield where they are strong. This is where our game plan worked,” said Mutuwekuziva.
Teams:
Dynamos: P. Tafiremutsa, E. Jalai, E. Moyo, K. Moyo, F. Makarati, T. Shandirwa (K. Madera, 60th min), J. Makunike, D. Mudadi (E. Illunga, 82nd min) I. Sadiki (J. Bakari, 82nd min), E. Ziocha (A. Masiiwa, 60th min), N. Chintuli (E. Chikona, 71st min)
Herentals: N. Antonio, C. Nyatondo, M. Chimedza (B. Majarira, 70th min), K. Chitavire, G. Mukambi, A. Maliselo (G. Chinobva, 70th min), Z. Ruguchu, E. Mhungu (W. Kapumha, 46th min), D. Marowa, T. Benza, B. Phiri
WEEK 26 RESULTS
YESTERDAY
Dynamos 0-1 Herentals
GreenFuel 1-0 Cranborne Bullets
Hwange 0-1 CAPS United
Sheasham 2-1 Bulawayo Chiefs
Yadah 3-1 Triangle
SATURDAY
Black Rhinos 4-3 ZPC Kariba
Chicken Inn 1-1 Manica Diamonds
FC Platinum 1-0 Ngezi Platinum
Simba Bhora 3-0 Highlanders
Latest Standings
P W D L F A Pts
Ngezi Platinum 26 15 6 5 35 16 51
FC Platinum 26 13 7 6 29 20 46
Highlanders 25 12 9 4 19 13 45
Manica Diamonds 26 12 7 7 33 18 43
Dynamos 25 10 10 5 27 11 40
Chicken Inn 26 9 13 4 26 19 40
Herentals College 26 10 9 7 28 25 39
Hwange 26 9 7 10 21 21 34
Simba Bhora 26 7 11 8 22 18 32
Bulawayo Chiefs 26 8 8 10 30 31 32
Greenfuel 26 9 5 12 19 27 32
Caps United 26 7 9 10 22 22 30 Sheasham 26 6 12 8 14 24 30
Yadah 26 9 3 14 23 35 30
Zpc Kariba 26 8 6 12 18 33 30
Triangle 26 4 14 8 17 28 26
Black Rhinos 26 5 8 13 19 30 23
Cranborne Bullets 26 5 6 15 12 23 21
Chronicle
