DYNAMOS . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
BYO CHIEFS . . . . . . . . . (1) 3
Frustrated Dynamos fans yesterday temporarily blocked the exit gates calling for coach Hebert Maruwa’s head after the team’s defeat to struggling Bulawayo Chiefs at the National Sports Stadium.
A Danny “Deco” Phiri second half brace added onto Mthokozisi Msebe’s fist half opener to condemn the Harare giants to their first defeat of the season after five rounds of matches.
Captain Frank Makarati converted from the penalty kick to cancel Msebe’s opener while Tanaka Shandirwa fired home from close range to briefly level matters before Deco’s late winner to give his side their first win of the season.
Some fans, angered by the team's recent performance, barricaded the exit to the stadium as they called for Maruwa’s head.
They only dispersed following the arrival of police details.
DeMbare haven’t won since their 4-0 win over promoted Sheasham on March 26.
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After that, they played two goalless draws against Simba Bhora and Cranborne Bullets in the league before losing to Highlanders in the Independence Cup final last week.
Maruwa blamed yesterday’s defeat to bad defending, with all the goals coming from headers and set pieces.
“Our defending wasn’t good today,” Maruwa said.
“We have been defending very well before and this is the first time we have conceded goals. There was a lot of complacency at the back. We did very well in terms of coming back, but our defending wasn’t OK. Attacking-wise, we were good but defensively we weren’t and we gave them easy goals. Our tracking in the box was not good.”
Dynamos dropped to seventh position on the log standings with eight points, although they have a game in hand.
Chiefs coach Lizwe Sweswe was delighted to pick his first win of the season.
“The boys did very well. I have been telling them to trust the process and that things will come good one day. It was all about game plan when approaching games against these big teams. This win was bound to come and getting such a win against a big team is a morale booster,” Sweswe said.
The Bulawayo side moved out of the relegation zone to 14th position with six points following the win.
Dynamos, looking to end their recent goal-scoring drought, came out of the blocks quickly and created some good chances only to be denied by some heroic defending with defenders clearing the ball off the line twice early on.
It had been a lively start to proceedings as Jayden Barake, making his first start failed to connect from a good range.
Chiefs rode the storm competently and made DeMbare to rue the missed opportunities when they took the lead against the run of play on 17th minute.
Msebe, who was a transfer target for Dynamos during the transfer window, latched on to a lovely cross from Farau Matare to head into the top right corner, leaving goalkeeper Taimon Mvula rooted to the spot.
It was the first time for the DeMbare goalkeeper to concede a goal since the start of the season.
Chiefs' lead would last just five minutes though as Dynamos were awarded a penalty when the referee adjudged that a defender had handled inside a crowded box.
The visitors protested the decision with the players refusing to take their positions for the penalty to be taken.
After a five minute delay, Makarati stepped up to score with the ball taking a deflection off the keeper.
Dynamos’ Nyasha Chintuli then missed a sitter in the 45th minute as the two teams went to the interval with the scores level.
It took Chiefs just two minutes after the breather to regain their lead when Deco headed home after another awful defending from the hosts following a corner kick.
It almost got better for them a minute but Billy Veremu could not direct his effort on target from a Matare cross on an empty net.
Chiefs then came even closer to increase their lead, with Msebe’s effort hitting the upright.
They were made to pay for those two glorious misses when Dynamos leveled matters when Shandirwa finished off a cross following some good work on the left by substitute Tendai Matindife.
Chiefs cranked up the pressure as they looked for the winner, and were duly rewarded in the 87th minute when Deco headed in a corner after Mvula had failed to cut the cross in his area.
Substitute Eli Ilunga and Makarati had two good chances in injury time to snatch a point for Dynamos but Chiefs stood firm to secure their first win of the season.
Teams
Dynamos: T Mvula, E Moyo, K Moyo, D Dzvinyai (K Madera, 53’), F Makarati, E Jalai, A Musiiwa (S Nyahwa, 53’), T Shandirwa, I Sadiki (T Matindife, 65’), J Bakare (E Chikona, 65’), N Chintuli (E Ilunga, 53’)
Bulawayo Chiefs: K Dube, J Sibanda, M Msebe, A Ncube, M Mkolo, B Rusinga, P Shoko (M Gasela, 46’), D Phiri, B Veremu, F Moyo, F Matare
