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Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
Dynamos……………………………………..(2) 2
Black Mambas…………………………………..0
HARARE giants Dynamos defied odds yesterday when they beat Black Mambas at Rufaro to be crowned champions for the third time in a row. Striker Simba Sithole scored both goals in the first half to ensure that the trophy remains at the Glamour Boys and, with that feat, they will have it for keeps.

DeMbare will now afford to celebrate their 50th anniversary in style as they have some silverware to show for it despite losing out in the BancABC Sup8r Cup and the Mbada Diamonds Cup.

Dynamos supporters, most of whom had appeared to have accepted their team’s fate as runners-up this year, could be forgiven for the wild celebrations as they invaded the pitch and turned it into a sea of blue and white after learning that pre-match title favourites Harare City had failed to beat CAPS United in their last match at the National Sports Stadium.

City, who led the log table with two points going into Super Sunday had appeared firm favourites to win this year’s title. But as fate would it, it was Dynamos’ bigegst enemies CAPS United who indirectly helped the Glamour Boys’ cause after holding the Sunshine Boys to a 2-2 draw.

For the third year running, Dynamos had to win the title on the last day courtesy of superior goal difference. DeMbare finished the season tied on 54 points with the Sunshine Boys and bitter rivals Highlanders, who beat Shabanie Mine 3-1 at Barbourfields. But they had a healthy goal difference of 21, while both Bosso who ended second and pushed Harare City into third had 18 apiece.

DeMbare went into yesterday’s game with remote chances following a difficult season and they grabbed the opportunity with both hands to land a record 20th domestic league title. Dynamos goalkeeper George Chigova who managed to keep a clean sheet yesterday said he was excited by winning another medal with the Harare giants, especially in a season when their capabilities were placed under heavy scrutiny.

“I am not surprised by winning the championship because we had thoroughly prepared for it. We even brought our Champaign bottles here.

Although it looked like we may not win the title today, we should understand that in football anything can happen.

“We knew that there was a chance Harare City could falter. So we just told ourselves that we had to win our game. I am over the moon. I am happy we are the first Dynamos group to win the title three times in a row,” said Chigova.

“We had a very difficult season especially at the beginning when we drew most of our matches. And then we had to fight hard to keep the pace with the top teams. Many people had not given us the chance and you can see the stadium was not full today by Dynamos standards,” Chigova said.

While DeMbare were basking in victory celebrations, there was a dark cloud on Mambas side as the defeat condemned the police outfit into relegation.

Both teams needed to win yesterday’s game but it was DeMbare who showed much hunger early on and were rewarded in the fourth when Sithole buried a good with an angled shot after getting to the end of Washington Pakamisa’s low cross.

But most of the credit should go to midfielder Cliff Sekete who enjoyed good form yesterday and had the Mambas defenders on their toes most of the time with his darting runs down the flanks.

The former Gunners man engineered the first goal when he beat his marker and released Pakamisa on the right. DeMbare had another good opportunity on the 33rd minute when Mambas goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga was forced to make a double save, stopping Pakamisa’s header from a long ball into the box by Ocean Mushure.

But the ball fell on Sekete who controlled and forced another shot which the keeper brilliantly punched over the bar for a corner.
Mambas defenders did well to clear the danger but Sithole gave Dynamos the insurance goal they needed before half time when he headed in from a corner kick by Sekete in the 40th minute.

The policemen however,  came back with some form of urgency after the restart and could count themselves unlucky when Last Chibwiro’s header bounced off the upright with goalkeeper George Chigova beaten. They could not sustain the pressure for long, though. Sekete made another run down the right channel on the 76th minute, eliminating two defenders as he cut into the penalty box but Mambas defender Ben Nyahunzvi made a timely interception.

Former Dynamos man Alifandika who was kept under wraps the whole afternoon, said he was saddened by the defeat and the subsequent relegation of his team.

“We lost to a better team today (yesterday) and it’s tough luck for us that we are getting relegated. That is what fate had for us and we could not run away from it. It’s disappointing because I thought we had played well this season,” said Alifandika.

Teams
Dynamos – G. Chigova, T. Magorimbo, O. Mushure, G. Bello, A. Mbara., S. Linyama, C. Sekete, T. Muparati, B. Zirintusa (T. Mabvura, 70th minute), W. Pakamisa (M. Murape, 88th minute), S. Sithole (P. Khumbula, 74th minute)
Black Mambas – T. Mateyaunga, K. Kapikinyu (K. Chimbadzwa, 80th minute), T. Chinungo, B. Nyahunzvi, P. Marazanye, C. Hungwe, B. Chirimhanzi (T. Ranthokoane, 44th minute), P. Muswere, N. Alifandika, L. Chibwiro, H. Chimutimunzeve