KELVIN Kaindu might have walked away with $50 000 for coming second best — once again — to Dynamos in the TM Pick n Pay Challenge Cup on Saturday after a 4-1 lesson, but he will look back at a porous defence that was found wanting.
WELLINGTON TONI SPORTS EDITOR
It was Bosso’s fourth loss to Dynamos this season, after two Castle Lager Premier Soccer League losses and the Bob 90 final.
Dynamos were $60 000 richer.
Eric Mudzingwa, Bruce Kangwa, Dumisani Ndlovu and veteran skipper Innocent Mapuranga lacked the tactic to deal with Dynamos’s marauding forwards throughout the match.
Mudzingwa lacked the pace on the right wing-back and was constantly playing second fiddle to man-of-the-match Tafadzwa Rusike. It was one such raid that led to Dynamos’s opener.
With Mudzingwa beaten, the long ball came in and Ronald Chitiyo did well to bring-back into play with Ndlovu failing to track Simba Sithole who easily slid the ball home.
In the second goal, Mapuranga failed to clear a throw-in and instead headed the ball goal-wards and three Highlanders defenders hesitated to clear. Sithole, almost falling, showed the true instinct of a striker with the goal of the match.
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For the third, Ndlovu was behind Rodreck Mutuma when the cross came from the left and there was no way he could have stopped the goal. In the fourth, Washington Pakamisa was all alone and there was nothing goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda could have done.
In fact, from another angle, Sibanda was the man-of-the- match, stopping four clear Dynamos goals in the second half — three of them in one-on-one situations, which would easily have been an embarrassing netball scoreline for Highlanders.
Games between the two sides have become so one-sided that fans don’t even bother to go to the stadium anymore, worse with television coverage.
At betting shops, a Dynamos win against Highlanders would certainly pay a few cents.
Kaindu has bought well in midfield and the strikeforce, but the defence is lacking. Mudzingwa is not a defender. Ndlovu thrives on hardwork, but tactical awareness and positioning in relation to a striker is lacking while Mapuranga’s legs cannot carry him anymore.
That leaves Kangwa as the only pure defender in that backline.
That is not good enough for a team that has not won the league title since 2006.
Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa, coming from Sunday Chidzambwa’s school of defence, does not make such mistakes at the back.
The back four confidently keeps its line.
Thomas Magorimbo easily fitted into the left wing-back position in the absence of Ocean Mushure.
Themba Ndhlovu and Augustine Mbara were an awesome pairing in central midfield while young Blessing Moyo played with the aplomb of a veteran.
Just ahead of the backline, Stephen Alimenda played in a box: He was the fifth man in defence, crosses the centre line when there was need, but retreating to provide cover all the time, thus lessening pressure on the defence. The rest was for Sithole, Rusike, Pakamisa and Mutuma to deliver.
Sad moments In the 32nd minute after Simba Sithole’s second goal, Dynamos fans started singing vulgar songs, which are often a contributing factor to hooliganism.
54th minute — After Rodreck Mutuma’s third goal, a Highlanders fan was shown on television making vulgar gestures — again a contributing factor to hooliganism in football.
Thanks TM and Pick n Pay — Wonderful corporate sponsorship in partnering the well-run top-flight league.
Referee: Excellent all-round performance from the centre man and his assistants.
