Dynamos…………(1) Hwange………(0)..1 TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
TAFADZWA “Fire” Rusike displayed a fabulous performance to fire troubled champions Dynamos to the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) table with a brilliant first-half goal in a PSL match against Hwange at Rufaro yesterday.
The former Cape Town Ajax forward unleashed a high ball from the left flank that beat Hwange goalkeeper Mawaya Takabva as he tried in vain to tip it over the bar after 25 minutes.
The goal sent the predominantly Dynamos fans into a frenzy. But their lead proved temporary as veteran former Dynamos forward Farai Vimisayi cancelled the lead a minute from full time profiting from a poor clearance by the Dynamos defence to poke the ball into the net.
That draw, however, could not stop Dynamos from shooting to the top of the Castle Lager PSL table where they now enjoy a cool breeze with 36 points from 20 matches of the campaign with Bulawayo giants Highlanders who overcame Triangle 1-0 trailing them by a single point.
ZPC Kariba who lost their first league match of the campaign 3-0 to Chapungu are in third place owing to an inferior goal difference.
Dynamos went into the match ill prepared as they were dogged by an assortment of problems ranging from player mutiny to fistfights between captain Murape Murape and striker Rodreck Mutuma in the last week.
Their defeat to army side Black Rhinos last week in the Chibuku Shumba Cup was the inevitable consequence of their industrial action demanding payment of their outstanding dues by the team management.
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But yesterday they were barely recognisable as a team that had not been training as they showed a lot of verve especially in the first half in which they dominated for longer periods.
Strikers Simba Sithole and Farai Mupasiri missed good opportunities in the sixth and 11th minutes respectively after failing to do justice to passes from Rusike.
The visitors though had a chance on 18 minutes but Gilbert Zulu’s speculative effort went wide before Rusike went on a solo run on 25 minutes, before sending his team into the lead with a wonderful goal from an acute angle.
Still Hwange who defeated Dynamos 1-0 at the Colliery refused to be cowed into submission with Rodwell Chinyengetere’s long range effort narrowly missing target.
In the second half Dynamos maintained their dominance with Sithole once again guilty of a miss on 53rd minutes following a wonderful delivery from Rusike.
As Dynamos looked set to collect maximum points, Vimisayi dampened those hopes when he took advantage of a poor clearance by the Dynamos defence to slot the ball into the net.
Rusike looked dejected as Harare referee Josiah Masimira blew to end the match.
“It’s disappointing to concede a goal towards the end. We lacked concentration but it’s part of the game. We had started brightly.
Morale was high in the build up to the match. Everyone was putting an effort to try and rescue the match,” Rusike said.
Hwange assistant coach Brian Njobvu was happy with the draw. “I am happy with the point we got. ‘ “The guys showed character. When we were down they didn’t give up. They kept fighting.
“They were really brave and I hope they will take this form into the next game. But they didn’t play like I had wanted them to do otherwise they could have won the match.”
Dynamos assistant coach Phillemon Mutyakureva was in charge of the match as both teams were without head coaches Kalisto Pasuwa and Nation Dube who were attending a Caf A licence coaching course which ended yesterday.
Teams Dynamos: T Mukurva, B Moyo,(A Gwatidzo 80th), T Magorimbo, T Ndlovu, A Mbara, S Alimenda, W Mukanga, T Rusike, R Chitiyo, F Mupasiri, (A Gondo, 65), S Sithole
Hwange: M Takabva, D Phakamani, M Mungadze, G Ndlovu, D Bworiwondo, (C Muleya, 83), A Chuma, F Vimisayi, T Chamboko, R Chinyengetere (P Mbelele, 82)
