Dynamos ……………….(0)1 Shabanie Mine ……….(0)1 HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
DYNAMOS wasted several chances and eventually settled for a draw with Shabanie Mine at Rufaro Stadium yesterday, a result which might prove costly for the Harare giants as the race for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) reaches the business end.
Substitute Tichaona Mabvura gave the defending league champions the lead on 55th minute, tapping the ball home after a sweeping move, but then the home team allowed Fungai Chirinda too much room inside their box to snatch a draw with an angled shot with 10 minutes remaining in the match.
The draw saw Dynamos lose the top position to Highlanders, now a point better after their home win against Triangle in Bulawayo yesterday.
With just two games remaining, Dynamos will now have to beat Chicken Inn in Bulawayo on Sunday and hope that Harare City, third on the log — get maximum points when they host the log leaders at Rufaro Stadium on the same day.
Shabanie Mine — fighting for a top-eight finish — remain on ninth position with 37 points, a point behind How Mine who have a chance to increase the gap when they host struggling Monomotapa today.
“We would have wanted to get those three points, but we missed a lot of chances and it was very unfortunate. Credit should also be given to Shabanie Mine who played well and managed to get a point away from home,” Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa said.
While Pasuwa thought the opposition played well and probably deserved the point, perhaps it was Shabanie Mine coach Luke Masomere who gave a proper assessment of Dynamos’ performance yesterday.
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“I was not very much worried when my team were trailing because of the way Dynamos played today. They never gave us any meaningful threat. Yes, they threatened us here and there, but they were not their usual selves.
“What I really want to achieve is a top-eight finish and this is the first step to that target. We collect a point here and we should collect three points against Triangle at home.”
Missing the services of four regulars in Patson Jaure, Oscar Machapa, Clive Kawinga and Tawanda Muparati through suspension and injuries, the home side were still the better side in the opening minutes, but were let down by poor finishing.
After a frantic start to the match, the real goalscoring opportunity arrived after 15 minutes when Boban Bogere broke through the middle before releasing a snap shot which was directed wide by goalkeeper Victor Twaliki.
The veteran goalkeeper would come to his team’s rescue once again when he denied Cliff Sekete and Bogere from one-on-one situations moments later as Dynamos continued to probe.
In between, Pasuwa was forced to make a substitute bringing in Mabvura after Russel Madamombe had gone down with a suspected muscle problem. The opener duly arrived, and it was a marvellous team goal.
Sekete was at the centre of the move when after collecting a pass near the centre circle he exchanged passes with Magorimbo and then Bogere who returned to the pass to the slippery midfielder who released Sithole on the right.
The former SuperSport United striker squared the ball to Mabvura to finish off — a goal deserving of the $2 000 that the Dynamos players were promised by Information and Communication Technology and Postal and Courier Services minister Webster Shamu for every goal scored in the remaining fixtures.
But trying to protect a single goal has always been dangerous as it later proved to the Harare giants.
A simple ball into the box was not properly dealt with and Chirinda, who had came in for Valentine Ndaba moments before, reacted quickly to fire past Chigova.
