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Callisto Pasuwa

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS coach Callisto Pasuwa believes AS Vita’s qualification for the final of the CAF Champions League shows it needed one of the two best teams on the continent this year to eliminate his Glamour Boys from the tournament. DeMbare were beaten by the Democratic Republic of Congo side in disputed circumstances in the first round. AS Vita beat Dynamos 1-0 on aggregate, needing a penalty in Kinshasa, after a goalless draw at the National Sports Stadium.

The penalty was converted by midfielder Tady Etekiama, who has since been banned for two years by CAF after he was found guilty of cheating.
The 27-year-old forward used double identity to play for Rwanda and Congo, where he also used the name Daddy Birori. AS Vita completed a 4-2 aggregate win over CS Sfaxien of Tunisia in the semi-finals at the weekend and will face Algerian side ES Setif in a two-legged final. Pasuwa said AS Vita Club were a good side who have acquitted themselves well in the tournament but he still believes they were cheated in Kinshasa.

“I think when we were talking about that game when we played AS Vita people were saying the coaches want to complain always when they are beaten. That’s a good side (AS Vita Club) and you can even see the way they have played throughout to the final. We played them at their home ground and we outplayed them in every department.

“They couldn’t even take a corner kick but, unfortunately, they were given a dubious penalty and we were knocked out of the competition. Maybe it’s the money thing in the Africa club championships,” said Pasuwa.

Dynamos failed to make an impact in their last three appearances where they fell at the preliminary stages.
They are, however, in the running for another domestic league championship which could see them back in the prestigious continental football tournament again next year.

The Harare giants maintained their two-point lead at the top after labouring to a 1-0 win over battling relegation candidates Shabanie Mine at Rufaro on Sunday. Ronald Chitiyo scored in the 85th minute with a beautiful rising shot from outside the box to give the Harare giants the edge over second-placed ZPC Kariba in the title race.

DeMbare lead the charts with 46 points but the season’s surprise packages could have seized pole position courtesy of superior goal difference had the match between Dynamos and Shabanie Mine ended in stalemate.

Pasuwa and his men will travel to Buffaloes for their next league tie.
But before that match, the Harare giants have another opportunity for silverware as they engage Triangle in the NetOne One Wallet Cup final at the National Sports Stadium this Sunday.

“In football anything can happen. We mustn’t talk about the fourth title at this point when we have six games more to play. You can see the way ZPC Kariba are playing. It’s one team that can go all the way and take the championship,” said Pasuwa.

Shabanie Mine’s revitalised captain Zvenyika Makonese believes they were unlucky to concede late after labouring to keep the Harare giants at bay the whole afternoon. Makonese was solid in defence alongside Smart Muchabaiwa, but a momentary lapse gifted DeMbare with a crucial goal.

“It was a tough game. We tried to maintain things as they were without conceding but we just lost our shape in the last five minutes and we conceded that goal. It was unfortunate we couldn’t concentrate the entire 90 minutes but we have to keep going. We need to collect maximum points in the remaining games so that we survive relegation,” said Makonese.

Shabanie Mine remained third from the bottom with 26 points from 24 games and will need to redouble efforts in the last six games to survive the chop. The 2014 Mbada Diamonds Cup, which will come with a changed format, will be launched in Harare at a media briefing today.

The top four teams, at the end of this year’s championship race, will feature in the tournament while the other 12 teams will receive cash payouts in December.