TEN-man Buffaloes handed Dynamos their first defeat of the season with an impressive win in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Sakubva Stadium, Mutare yesterday.
REPORT BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Buffaloes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(2)3 Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2)2
The Harare-based side had gone for 13 matches without suffering a defeat.
In yesterday’s match Mutare-based referee Langton Chitsa was caught at the centre of controversy as he awarded the visitors controversial decisions that threatened to spoil an otherwise balanced match.
An estimated 10 000 fans paid to watch the match, but there was disappointment as SuperSport 9 did cover the match as scheduled.
Buffaloes caretaker coach Timothy Masachi, who was in charge for the first time as the club’s head coach, was given a standing ovation by Buffaloes fans after the match as he was tossed in the air at the grand stand that housed the army supporters.
The army side took the lead as early as the second minute through former Dynamos star Wonder Sithole after beating his opposition markers on the right flank, including Augustine Mbara and Gift Bello, in the opposition box before unleashing a low shot to the right of the diving Dynamos goalkeeper George Chigova. And true to his word he did not celebrate the goal.
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Five minutes later, controversial referee Chitsa awarded the visitors a penalty after he adjudged that army side midfielder Prosper Matizanadzo had infringed Russel Madamombe in the box.
Clive Kawinga took responsibility and scored from the resultant kick to send the visiting fans into a frenzy.
Impressive goalminder Chengetai Tandadzayi was called into action in the 16th minute after saving a pile drive shot from Thomas Magorimbo.
Dynamos took the lead in the 22th minute, Morris Kadzola did well on the left flank beating Admire Dzumbunu who was playing in an unfamiliar position before unleashing a pinpoint cross to Washington Pakamisa whose point-blank header was parried back into play by Tandadzayi, but Pakamisa was fast to react to a rebound and shot the ball into the nets.
It did not take two minute before the army side were back into the game. The goal came from a free-kick on the left flank, after Wonder Sithole unleashed a cross on the blind side where Matizanadzo headed the ball back to a better positioned Steven Sibanda who scored to level scores.
Referee Chitsa was at it again in the 28th minute after he failed to award the home side what looked like a genuine penalty after Augustine Mbara had handled inside a Wonder Sithole shot inside the box.
In the 34th minute Dynamos were awarded a controversial penalty that was briefly protested by the army side players and officials.
Outstanding Buffaloes defender Themba Ndovu was adjudged to have pushed Pakamisa, who seemed to have fallen on his own and Ndlovu was sent off from the incident. Kawinga failed to score from the resultant spot-kick after Tandadzayi parried the ball for a corner-kick.
In the 60th minute Madamombe fouled Wonder Sithole in the box and referee Chitsa pointed to the spot.
Up stepped Sibanda to score his second goal of the match in the 84th minute.
