DYNAMOS NICK IT!

Sport
Dynamos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 2 Black Mambas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

Dynamos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 2 Black Mambas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 Champions-dynamos TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

AS they have often done, Dynamos defied odds stacked against them to beat Black Mambas and lift their 20th Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title on a rain-soaked afternoon of nail-biting, tension-filled clash at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.

The Glamour Boys went into the match trailing log leaders Harare City by two points and they desperately needed a victory to land the championship in the hope of a stumble by the log leaders.

And striker Simba Sithole was the saviour with his two first-half goals. Sithole was on the score sheet four minutes into the match when he side-footed home a wonderful delivery into the penalty area by speedy winger Cliff Sekete who had been set up by Boban Bogere.

Sithole then completed his brace on 40 minutes planting a header off a corner-kick by Sekete for Dynamos to sew up the tie.

Although the Dynamos faithfuls celebrated the victory over Black Mambas, they kept their ears to the ground to keep themselves abreast of proceedings across town at the National Sports Stadium where Harare City were taking on Caps United.

Try as they did, Black Mambas found Dynamos unyielding and veteran striker Last Chibwiro thought he had pulled one back for the police outfit 54 minutes into the match, but his blistering shot crashed against the upright post.

The rain-soaked pitch made play very difficult, but Black Mambas who also went into the match seeking victory to escape relegation, threw everything at Dynamos towards the end.

However, the champions remained resolute and when referee Ruzive Ruzive blew to end the match, the game at the National Sports Stadium was still on.

Dynamos-coach-Kalisto-Pasuwa-celebrate-after-winning-the-PSL-at-Rufaro-Stadium-yesterday And when it finally ended, Rufaro turned into a sea of blue and white as fans invaded the pitch and hoisted their heroes including coach Kalisto Pasuwa as they celebrated a fine hour.

It was Dynamos’ third successive league title and the third group of players to win the league title on three successive seasons.

Pasuwa was naturally over the moon as he shed tears of joy.

“I thank God. I never expected this. It’s down to God. He had a plan for us. We didn’t expect to win the league title this time around considering the setbacks we had, but we managed to win under those circumstances.

“We had challenges. We had divisions especially after we drew eight matches. But what I did was to sit down with the boys and we spoke about it. I tried to knock sense into them that we should unite and we did improve, but still we continued to face these challenges. I am happy we overcame them and today we have won the title. It’s all down to God,” Pasuwa said.

Teams Dynamos: G Chigova, T Magorimbo, O Mushure, G Bello, A Mbara, S Linyama, C Sekete, T Muparati, B Bogere, (T Mabvura 70min) W Pakamisa,(M Murape 88min) S Sithole (P Khumbula 74min).

Black Mambas: T Mateyaunga, K Kapikinyu (K Chimbadzwa 80min), T Chinungo, B Nyahunzvi, P Marazanye, C Hungwe, B Chirimanzi, (R Tsepo 64min), P Muswere, N Alifandika, L Chibwiro, H Chimutimunzeve, R Mudimu.