DYNAMOS reignited their chances of winning the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title with a crucial win against log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stadium at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Young Elton Chikona finished instinctively at the stroke of halftime before Keith Madera catapulted the Harare giants ahead four minutes into the second half.
Ngezi Platinum Stars’ top goalscorer Takunda Benhura pulled one back, taping home from close range on the 58th minute, but the goal proved to be just a consolation for the Mhondoro-based side which was denied a chance to consolidate its lead in the title race.
On a day other title contenders FC Platinum and Highlanders dropped points, Dynamos’ victory could prove to be priceless in the title matrix as the Genesis Mangombe-coached team moved to third on the standings with 46 points, eight behind Ngezi Platinum Stars with six matches remaining. Dynamos have a game in hand.
Highlanders moved to second on the log following their draw away at Green Fuel yesterday while FC Platinum dropped to fourth from second after they were shocked by Black Rhinos at Mandava Stadium yesterday.
Mangombe was delighted that his team has managed to take away points from their title rivals.
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“We really wanted a win in this match and I'm happy we responded well and managed to collect maximum points. We want to win the next assignment to try to continue reducing the margin,” Mangombe said.
Ngezi Platinum coach Takesure Chiragwi admitted yesterday's result was a huge setback in the team's title ambitions, but praised his boys for giving a good perfomance in the tightly-contested game.
“We played well especially in the second half. In the first half, we were not good enough in terms of ball retention. We addressed that at halftime when we brought in Leslie Kashitugu and Takunda Benhura and they brought life into the team. In the second half, we tried everything,” said Chiragwi who also complained about the delaying tactics that were employed by the hosts late in the second half.
Dynamos ball boys vanished later in the match, leaving the visitors scrambling to retrieve balls.
DeMbare midfielder Donald Mudadi was shown two yellow cards for defying the referee’s orders to walk briskly off the field when he was substituted.
Looking to bounce back from their defeat to Herentals last time, Dynamos started the match brightly and had early chances through Chikona and Madera while Ngezi Platinum had theirs, from a Qadr Amini freekick while Bruno Mutigo and Claude Mapoka also went close.
Mangombe's men were finally rewarded for their dominance on the 45th minute when Chikona fired past goalkeeper Nelson Chadya, connecting a cross from Madera following some quick and crisp interplay.
Chiragwi threw in his big guns Benhura and Tapiwa Mandinyenya at the start of the second half, but it was the home side which had an ideal start to the second stanza.
After Chadya had tipped over Mudadi's rasping shot in the 46th minute, the goalkeeper could do nothing when the hosts came back knocking again two minutes later.
A curling freekick was planted into the left bottom corner by Madera past the despairing hands of the diving keeper.
Delic Murimba had the chance to bring Ngezi back into the contest on the 57th minute but fired wide.
A minute later, Benhura pulled one back for the visitors with a poacher's goal for his tenth goal of the season. A cross into the box by Mandinyenya bubbled into the area, and with the defenders ball watching, the forward pounced and tapped the ball home.
Tafiremutsa was forced into a desperate save to block Mtigo's long-range shot.
The young keeper made an even better save to deny Kudzai Chigwida’s header from point blank from a corner kick.
The away side threw in numbers forward in search of an equaliser but the home side held on for the massive win that brought them back into the title race with just six matches remaining.
Teams
Dynamos: P Tafiremutsa, E Jalai, B Mpofu (D Dzvinyai, 83'), K Moyo, F Makarati, S Nyahwa, K Madera (A Sadiki, 70'), J. Makunike, D. Mudadi ( D Mukamba, 83') min), N Chintuli (E Ziocha, 72'), E Chikona (E Paga, 70')
Ngezi Platinum Stars: N Chadya, G Madhake, K Chigwida, P Moyo, Q Amini, F Madhanaga, M Mukumba (L Kashitugu, 46'), B Mtigo, M Gaki (T Mandinyenya, 53'), C Mapoka (T Benhura, 46'), D Murimba