DYNAMOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
HIGHLANDERS . . . . . . . . . (1)2
Highlanders completed their first Premier League double over Dynamos since 2016 after goals from McKinnon Mushore and Godfrey Makaruse gave them a comfortable victory at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.
The weekend's big clash turned out to be painfully one-sided as the outstanding Mushore gave the visitors a 26th minute lead with a snap shot, while Makaruse steered the ball into an unguarded net from a rebound in the 75th minute after Mushore’s angled shot had cannoned off the post.
Defeat piled more misery on coach Genesis Mangombe who blamed his team’s poor performance on a players’ strike that rocked the team last week.
DeMbare only trained for four days coming to this match as players downed tools in protest over unpaid bonuses.
“It is so painful and as a coach you do not want to lose six points to the same team," Mangombe lamented. "But there are some things that are beyond my control. The intensity in which the opponents pressed us means they were well-prepared for us. They knew we did not train so they capitalised on that with some fast counter attacks. We tried to contain them, but lost some energy in the process. In the early stages of the game, we were very much OK because we had some energy, but after 20 minutes or so, we lost it because of lack of training. Our fitness level was not spot on.”
Dynamos forward Emmanuel Paga missed a sitter with the scoreline still at 1-0, which proved to be the game’s turning point.
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“When playing these kind of games you need to score those chances. It was a clear chance that needed a proper execution, not just hitting the ball with power. Even Sadney Urikhob got a few chances and if he was clinical, we could have got at least one goal."
Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu was over the moon after his side’s historic league win, which will go a long way in easing off some pressure off his shoulder.
"There is nothing better in the league that doing a double against Dynamos,” Kaindu said. “We managed to score two goals, and kept a clean sheet. It gives us a lot of motivation after a number of draws that we had in the middle of the season. We just hope we remain focused after this big win. ."
Victory ensured that Highlanders remained on fifth position on the log with 29 points, five clear of their opponents yesterday who also retained their sixth position.
Dynamos dominated possession early on, but lacked potency as Highlanders created the better chances on the counter attack.
Mushore's shot from inside the box was deflected out before Lynoth Chikuhwa's shot was also blocked from inside the resultant corner kick.
At the other end, Donald Mudadi wriggled his way into the box, but his shot was cleared for a corner. The electric start to the game would set the tone for the remainder of the match although it was Highlanders who looked on top of the situation.
Mushore put Highlanders in front with a precise shot from inside the box, beating keeper Tafiremutsa at his near post.
Confidence was now flowing through Bosso as Makaruse, Chikuhwa and Brighton Ncube all forced Tafiremutsa into action.
UriKhob almost levelled matters in the first half optional time when the Namibian found some pockets of space inside the box, but his curling shot went just wide as the visitors went to the break carrying their slim lead.
The pattern of the start of the first half followed at the start of the second, with Dynamos playing better in the early minutes.
UriKhob, twice shot wide while Ncube should have added the second for Bosso when he got to an end of a Mushore pass, but blasted over from a good range.
Highlanders then slowly started to up the pressure but it was Paga who missed the best chance of the game in the 57th minute when he was put through by UriKhob's exquisite reverse pass. The Ghanaian horribly skied his effort with only the keeper to beat.
DeMbare were made to pay for the glaring miss.
Mushore showed some quick feet to break into the Dynamos penalty box and squeezed his shot from an acute angle past Tafiremutsa.
His shot squirmed off the post and the lurking Makaruse fired home from the rebound.
Teams:
Dynamos: P Tafiremutsa, E Jalai, N Chinyerere, T Magwaza, D Dzvinyai, D Mudadi (A Botchway, 85'), E Ziocha, T Shandirwa (A Musiiwa, 61'), T Chiunga, E Paga (F Alick, 61'), S Uri-Khob (A Mandinyenya, 85').
Highlanders: R Muza, M Chigumira, A Faira, A Mbeba, P Muduhwa, G Makaruse, M Mushore, B Ncube (N Banda, 92'), M Ncube, L Chikuhwa (H Mhlanga, 85'), M Sibanda
