DYNAMOS..................(0)1
SIMBA BHORA...........(1)1
HARARE giants Dynamos began life without Genesis Mangombe with a fourth consecutive draw after sharing the spoils with title-chasing Simba Bhora at Barbourfields stadium yesterday.
It was Mangombe’s former assistant Lloyd Chigowe, who took charge of the team which failed to produce a win, but managed to put up a lively overall performance.
Simba thought they had won the game after a Webster Tafa tap-in had thrust them into the lead 10 minutes before the break. Mthokozisi Msebe flighted a beautiful cross from a free kick, which Tymon Machope headed on and the defender made a simple tap-in.
After missing a glut of opportunities, it seemed as if Dynamos were down and out, but Namibian import Sadney Uri-Khob had other ideas.
The striker who came in with a lot of urgency anticipated a long ball well in the 81st minute and got around his marker, the ball fell kindly on his path and he easily placed it home past a stranded Talbert Shumba.
The new look Dynamos technical team, led by former assistant coach Chigowe and new assistant coach Joel Luphahla earned a point in their first match.
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It was Dynamos's final game before they compete in the Caf Confederation Cup against Zambian side Zesco United in Botswana in the preliminary round this week
Chigowe, unlike his predecessor gave his strikers the benefit of doubt
"Sometimes when reliance on individuals fails, you need to work on combinations. You saw the movement we had in the second half in the final third. if we improve a little bit in the middle (midfield), we create more chances. The other time, two of our boys fell over each other in front of goal. It could have been a goal before we got our first goal. It means we are moving in the right direction. So we don't want to continue to mourn about the strikers. But ultimately it is all about the group," said Chigowe.
Dynamos took their season's tally to 31 points after the draw, while Simba Bhora dropped to second with 43 points from 23 matches.
Tonderai Ndiraya revealed that his team was hit by a flu bug before the match, which made it difficult for them to last the distance.
"It was very difficult for us. "The whole camp was hit by a flu virus. Most of our players were struggling today and our captain had to fly in this morning for the game after receiving some treatment in Harare. I'm sure you saw the performance in the first half, he wasn't really himself. But there is nothing we could do. We had to play the match as we were. That's why we were not really ourselves today. In the end I thought it was an important point for us," said Ndiraya.
Dynamos enjoyed the lion's share of ball possession, but their decision making in the final third left a lot to be desired. They should have won the match, if they had converted the chances that came their way.
Elton Chakona had a 44th minute shot stopped by Shumba before Eli Ilunga came closest when he did everything inside the box but his effort destined for the far corner was kept out by the goalkeeper.
