WhaWha . . . . . (1) 1 Dynamos . . . . . . . .0
DYNAMOS were left licking their wounds again, losing for the second time in a row, as they came second best to Whahwa in a Castle Lager Premiership football match played at Ascot Stadium in Gweru yesterday.
BY WANDILE MOYO
Roy Useni’s strike two minutes from half-time settled the affair to leave the defending champions in third place with 14 points, five off leaders Chicken Inn.
Dynamos coach David Mandigora conceded defeat saying they lost the game after failing to utilise chances early in the first half.
“We lost it when we failed to utilise those early chances. It’s the same story again when we create chances, but fail to score. It’s part of the game. We have to soldier on and rectify our mistakes,” Mandigora said.
WhaWha coach Lloyd Mutasa was ecstatic after the victory, giving credit to his players for showing character after last weekend’s 6-0 drubbing by How Mine.
“Credit should go to the youngsters for showing such character to rise up against the defending champions after we lost by a big margin at the weekend. They stuck to the game plan and they didn’t give Dynamos room to manoeuvre as they were compact in all departments,” Mutasa said.
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The win is the second for WhaWha who have struggled in the opening matches of the season, with only other win being against FC Platinum two weeks ago.
They now have eight points and moved an inch up to 13th place.
The defending champions wandered all afternoon without any direction as they lacked cohesion in all departments.
Dynamos went into the match still smarting from the 3-0 loss to Chicken Inn last weekend and yesterday needed a win, but came unstuck against a more tactically disciplined WhaWha who were very compact and quick to the ball.
Dynamos’ cause was not helped either by their coach’s decision to employ two grafters Milton Makopa and Stephen Alimenda who were playing too deep, stifling the team of any creativity in the attacking third.
Despite the poor show, Dynamos could have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute when Dominic Chungwa was released by Simba Nhivi, but his low shot was parried for a corner by Philip Nhete.
Chungwa was again presented with a glorious chance when he got to the end of an Ocean Mushure cross, but failed to direct his header on target.
After surviving the early scare, WhaWha reorganised their play, utilising the flanks with Cleopas Pupurikai giving Dynamos right-back Godknows Murwira a torrid time.
The home side started dictating the pace, knocking on the Dynamos defence and it was not long before the defending champions conceded.
WhaWha went on an attack and a clearance from Sydney Linyama fell to Useni who pounced first time with a rising shot that gave goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi no chance, two minutes from halftime.
The debutants increased the tempo in the second half with a polished performance with Kudzanayi Saunyama, Gift Kwaramba and veteran Malvin Nyakabangwe dropping deep to help the midfield.
Dynamos thought they had found an equaliser in the 77th minute after Patrick Khumbula headed in a rebound when Nhete had punched the ball back into play from a shot by Nhivi, but referee Salani Ncube ruled it out for offside.
Teams WhaWha: P Nhete, B Chidzero, G Kwaramba, M Machazane, J Kanono, L Genti, R Useni (N Bude 58th min), C Kapupurika, M Nyakabangwe (A Matewu 82nd min), K Saunyama, T Jukulile (S Nhamo 78th min)
Dynamos: A Mukandi, G Murwira, A Mbara, E Muroiwa, S Linyama, S Alimenda, M Makopa (C Rusere 66th min), R Chitiyo, O Mushure, D Chungwa (P Khumbula 56th min), S Nhivi (F Mupasiri 87th min)
