BLACK RHINOS . . . . . . . . .1
DYNAMOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
REFEREE Allan Basvi was caught in the eye of controversy in what was otherwise a pulsating but ill-tempered Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match between Black Rhinos and Dynamos at Bata Stadium in Gweru yesterday.
The Glamour Boys walked away with maximum points after beating Black Rhinos despite several clashes between players and the match officials.
Basvi stole the limelight as he awarded two controversial penalties to DeMbare in the second half.
Donald Mudadi and Ellie Ilunga converted the spot kicks after Daren Mutimuzunze got Rhinos on the scoresheet.
Dynamos coach Herbert Maruwa was pleased with the result. "I knew this was going to be tense because four of our players were there at Rhinos.
"We came back from behind and that was all we needed. The boys showed good character despite that we were behind.
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"For now, I'm happy but there is always a lot of work for us to do. I hope we'll be able to keep this run and maintain pace with leading teams," he said.
Black Rhinos had the momentum in the early stages of the match, thanks to Lot Chiungwa.
Chiungwa was a menace in the first ten minutes, and could have broken the deadlock on the fifth minute, but he took long to pull the trigger inside the box, allowing the Dynamos defenders to close gaps.
Garikai Dematsika also had an oppurtunty to break the deadlock but he watched his header flash across the face of goal for Rhinos.
DeMbare took control from around the 20th minute mark, with Tanaka Shandirwa, Donald Mudadi and Junior Makunike combining well in midfield.
However, they struggled to carve out clean balls to their forwards, Emmanuel Paga and Elton Chikona.
They got their real chances in the last five minutes of the half, with Black Rhinos goalkeeper Lenon Gonese repelling Paga’s overhead kick on the 43rd minute. He also repelled a sizzling Makunike strike from close range on the 45th minute.
Dynamos restarted the match with the same tempo, with Makunike's short from outside the box safely collected by Gonese.
Black Rhinos broke the deadlock on the 56th minute through Daren Mutimuzunze. The lanky defender stunned DeMbare with a free-kick a few metres from the centreline.
Referee Basvi stole the limelight on the 69th minute after awarding a dubious penalty to Dynamos, adjudging a defender to have handled the ball in the box.
The match was briefly stopped following a scuffle between both sets of players. Donald Dzvinyai calmly converted from the spot-kick on the 76th minute.
Dynamos got another equally controversial penalty, this time when Denver Mukamba was said to have beenfouled at the edge of the box.
Ilunga made no mistake from the penalty, sending goalie Gonese the wrong way. Black Rhinos gaffer Saul Chaminuka was disappointed by his men's attitude.
"We spoiled what could have been a good comeback with the attitude that we showed. If the referee says it’s a penalty then it is. No need to protest. Overall, we did well but maybe it wasn't our day," Chaminuka said.
Teams
Black Rhinos: L Gonese, C Gonese, D Mbewe, T Mchisa, D Mutumuzunze, N Mhlanga, B Mukucha, A Gahadzikwa( A Gahadzikwa, 86’), P Mukombwe (C Chitsamba, 86’), L Chiungwa (M Svinurai, 67’), G Dematsika (M Mahodobi, 67’)
Dynamos: P Tafiremutsa, E Jalai, S Nyahwa, K Moyo, D Dzvinyai, D Mudadi( A Musiyiwa, 85’), J Makunike (I Ilunga, 85’), T Shandirwa, E Paga (K Madera, 52’), I Sadiki (T Makanda, 52’), E Chikona (D Mukamba)
