Dynamos (0) 1
Ngezi Platinum Stars (1)1
Dynamos won 4 - 2 on penalties
Harare giants Dynamos became the first team to defend the remodelled Chibuku Cup knock out tournament title after they beat Ngezi Platinum Stars on penalties in front of a packed Rufaro Stadium yesterday.
It was a repeat of last year's final which had a similar outcome but this time goalkeeper Martin Mapisa was the hero after he saved two spot kicks in the penalty shootout to hand DeMbare the win.
Striker Obriel Chirinda gave Ngezi Platinum Stars a first half lead before Ansa Botchway equaliser late in the game.
In the penalty shootout out, Moses Demera and Farai Madhanaga were the villains for Ngezi Platinum while captain Kudzai Chigwida and Elson Mweha both scored
Dynamos, on their way to a third consecutive shootout victory in the competition, won the penalty shootout, with all their four takers; Frank Makarati, Temptation Chiwunga, Eli Illunga and Issa Sadiki converting.
Sadiki scored the winning penalty on his 27th birthday to send the Glamour Boys back to the Africa safari for next season after their failed campaign this year.
Coach Lloyd Chigowe was delighted and gave all the credit to the boys.
"These boys showed great character, they are fighters and also there is a lot of football brains in those boys. They fought from a goal down, a lucky goal that Ngezi Platinum Stars got. Fortuitous in the sense that the goalkeeper was off his line and the defender went to sleep. But the good thing is that we fought back. We could have gotten the equaliser much earlier had Nelson Chadya not pulled off a great save. But we also feel hard done because we could have been rewarded in extra time," he said.
Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi rued a lapse in concentration, which he felt allowed Dynamos to get the equaliser.
"They fought back to get an equaliser and that's where we got it wrong. I think we should avoid that, but it was just a lapse of concentration for those seconds and that is how the complexion of the game changed. But I think we had a very good game to be honest," Chiragwi said.
"These guys did very well and we should appreciate them. To come all the way to reach the final is not an easy thing. And obviously today one team was supposed to lose and unfortunately it was Ngezi Platinum Stars."
Dynamos started off strongly with Valentine Kadonzvo testing Chadya from distance.
Emmanuel Ziocha had another good chance which he blazed over from inside the box halfway through the first half after he was set up by Kadonzvo.
Moments later Ngezi Platinum took the lead against the run of play after just three touches from Chadya into the net
Chadya passed the ball to Chigwida from a goal kick who in turn sent a long searching ball which Chirinda lobbed over Mapisa who had ventured outside the box into the empty net
It all looked bleak for Dynamos after they lost winger Kadonzvo due to injury in the first half.
Dynamos continued to search for the equaliser in the second half half and Polite Moyo cleared Tanaka Shandirwa's effort off the line with his head with Chadya beaten just before the hour mark
Emmanuel Paga failed to direct the ball into the empty net at the back post when it looked easy to score before Chadya produced a brilliant save to tip over a Sadney Urikhob dipping shot from range.
Botchway sent the vocal Dynamos crowd into a frenzy 12 minutes before full-time with a blistering strike from outside the box.
Substitute Tinotenda Meke had a chance to win it for Ngezi soon coming on and he dragged his effort wide with the goalkeeper to beat late on
Extra time was a dull affair with both teams choosing to play with caution.
Dynamos thought they had stolen it right at the death through Sadiki, but the goal was disallowed for an infringement on the goalkeeper.
Teams
Dynamos — M Mapisa, F Makarati, D Dzvinyai, N Chinyerere, E Jalai, S Nyahwa, T Shandirwa ( F Aleck 76'), A Botchway, S Nyahwa( T Chiwunga 90), S Urikhob (E Illunga 90), E Ziocha(I Sadiki 76'), V Kadonzvo
Ngezi Platinum Stars - N Chadya, P Moyo, K Chigwida, G Madhake, R Hachiro, A Ngwena ( F Madhanaga 76') , N Tigere ( T Meme 86') , M Gaki (T Munemo 65'), T Chamboko, T Benhura ( E Mweha 76'), O Chirinda ( M Demera 76')