|
Monomotapa dent Dembare's championship hopes |
 Posted by Jerry Zingwevu 2009-09-24
Dynamos…................(0) 1
Monomotapa…..........(1) 2
Dynamos Football Club became their own worst enemies when they surrendered valuable three points to Monomotapa in a mid-week Premier Soccer League (PSL) match played at Rufaro stadium yesterday. The current PSL leaders lost 1-2 to a fired up Monoz and it will be a gross omission to leave out the two most outstanding talking points about yesterday's game; the skilful display by Christopher Samakweri of Monoz and the goalkeeping prowess exhibited by Willard Manyatera in goals for Dynamos.
The result implies that Dembare are now tied on the same number of games with chasing Gunners and no longer enjoy a 'games -in- hand' advantage and they also now lead Gunners by only a point. It was Dembare' second league loss since April.
Still bouyed by their 2-1 victory over Nigerian side, Heartland in the CAF champions league, Monomotapa started the game with a blistering pace and were duly rewarded in the 17th minute when they found the opener through a goal from striker, Tawanda Nyamandwe. Again, the chief culprit was Samakweri who found his way past a cluster of Dynamos defenders before setting up Nyamandwe who obliged with a stinging shot from close range which hit the top of the net. The goal certainly breathed more life into the Monoz attack and with only 10 minutes after the goal, Nyamandwe was back again to haunt Dembare but this time Manyatera was equal to the task with a clean save. Again! The provider was none other than dribbling wizard, Chris Samakweri.
After the break, Dynamos awoke from their slumber and equalised in the 53rd minute through a diving header from Cuthbert Malaijila who took his season's goal tally to 14 goals only one short of Gunners' Norman Maroto's total. But before Dembare could regroup and compliment their goal with increased attacks, Monoz scored the second from the boot of Brian Mapfumo. It was a move started by Samakweri just after the centre line. Samakweri spotted an overlapping Tapuwa Khumbuyani on the right and the latter sent in a cross which was met with a header by Charles Chiutsa. Manyatera could only punch the ball onto a charging Mapfumo who obliged with one of his trademark shots leaving Manyatera sprawling on the turf.
Then it was Chiutsa's tale of mixed chances in a space of five minutes when his two attempts at goal were met with equally impressive saves from Manyatera. On the stroke of the 90th minute, Dembare thought they had found a late equaliser but Milton Makopa could only shake his head in disbelief when his shot hit against the crossbar with Godfrey Mangove in goals for Monomotapa a well beaten man.
Dynamos have found the going tough recently, losing 1-0 to Sundowns, drawing 1-1 against arch rivals CAPS United and being bundled out of the Super Eight Cup by Shooting Stars. Some critics have even begun citing that Elvis Chiweshe has the team jinxed as they have failed to produce positive results ever since he started attending the CAF C-License. Chiweshe has not been on the Dembare bench for the past two weeks. Monomotapa caretaker coach, Taurai Mangwiro was upbeat that his team is going to finish in the top four. “ We want to finish the league in the top four and with the remaining games we can do it. Our focus is now fully with the PSL and we have managed to put aside our financial problems and we are now fully concentrating on our game”, he said.
Dynamos' assistant coach, Tonderai Ndiraya refused to admit that his team may be under pressure after the loss. “Its not over until its over. We are still on top and as long as we win all our remaining games then we will always clinch the title and there are no two ways about that”, he said.
|
