Zimpapers Logo

In an exciting Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie at Rufaro, Jaure ensured a share of the spoils with a virtually last attack of the game.

Jaure broke the visitors’ hearts when he scrambled the ball home from a corner kick by Tawanda Muparati six minutes into added time, to cancel out Njabulo Ncube’s 51st minute lead.

It was a bitter end for the visitors as they mobbed referee Norman Matemera in an unsportsmanlike behaviour accusing the match official of cheating them when he ended the game three minutes later than the advertised time after the fourth official Nomore Musundire had indicated four minutes on his board.

Although it is commonly known as injury time, the period in reality is the referee’s optional time and after earlier indicating four minutes, Harare policeman Matemera added three more minutes and Dynamos pounced to save themselves from a defeat that appeared imminent.

Highlanders have not beaten Dynamos in a league encounter since 2006 when they last won the championship and their coach Kelvin Kaindu yesterday said they had come fully prepared to end the jinx, just three days after losing the Independence Cup to the same opponents.

Bosso showed determination and could have pulled that stunning victory had they held on a few more minutes without resorting to killing time by feigning injuries during the referee’s optional period.

Kaindu also blamed his players for not playing according to the whistle.
However, Bosso could still manage to get comfort from walking away with the vital away point and maintaining a good start to the season as they now have 10 points from five games and sit second on the log standings behind FC Platinum.

“I think it was a difficult game for us. The good thing is we managed to score today although we created few chances. But from the few chances we managed to get a goal.
“Certainly I thought victory was coming but we lapsed in concentration towards the end. I think my players thought the game was over but we should learn to play until the final whistle because they were looking at the time.

“We had played more than the advertised, but what we should learn is to concentrate until the final whistle,” said Kaindu.
DeMbare had the better of the exchanges earlier on as Highlanders, who did not come out for warm-up for undisclosed reasons, took long to settle down on the artificial turf.

The hosts however, could not take their chances with Tichaona Mabvura making a half-hearted commitment to Thomas Magorimbo’s cross 11 minutes into the game.
And as play switched quickly to the other side, Beavan Chikaka thought he had found the opener for Bosso when he headed in a good cross by Bruce Kangwa but the near side assistant referee had his flag up for offside.

Then Mthulisi Maphosa had a clearer opportunity seven minutes later when he raced into the box unmarked to meet a good delivery from a corner but the midfielder could not keep his header down as the DeMbare defenders were caught flat-footed.

Dynamos came close in the 24th minute when Patrick Khumbula broke through the left flank and sprinted towards goal before laying the ball for Francisco Zekumbawira after narrowing the angle under challenge from defenders.

Highlanders goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya who is enjoying a purple patch this year came to the rescue when he went down to block the effort and defender Dumisani Ndlovu recovered quickly to clear the lines.

With goals elusive in the opening half both teams needed inspiration in the last 45 minutes following the half-time showers that made the pitch slippery.
Highlanders got the impetus when Ncube controlled the ball with his chest from a throw in and rifled a rising shot past exposed goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi from close range.

The goal silenced the predominantly Dynamos fans and ignited scenes of song and dance on the bay that housed the Bosso supporters until the last minute sucker punch from Jaure.

But Ncube could have punished the home team about two minutes after getting the opener when Stephen Alimenda, who nonetheless had a good game, failed to control a short pass from Mukandi’s goal kick. Mukandi however made a quick recovery to clean up the blunder.

Dynamos needed more urgency going forward and coach Callisto Pasuwa introduced Muparati in the 57th minute and later on Cliff Sekete and Allan Tavarwisa but it was only their vice-captain Muparati who made meaningful contributions.

Sekete is clearly off form and Tavarwisa playing his first Battle of Zimbabwe showdown was simply overwhelmed by the occasion, he could not even control the ball.
Muparati had a good game as he engineered most of the DeMbare moves although their finishing was virtually non-existent.

If there was one factor that really came to light in yesterday’s match, it is that Dynamos simply do not have a strike force and for the fifth league game this season, their strikers have only contributed one goal, via Khumbula’s goal in the 1-1 draw against Shabanie Mine.

Muparati could have put himself on the scoresheet when he latched on to a high ball from Thomas Magorimbo but the impressive Diya blocked the effort with an outstretched foot to keep Bosso in the driving seat.

But DeMbare still managed to find the elusive goal in optional time to record their fifth draw in as many games this season. Dynamos coach Pasuwa said he was satisfied by the point although he was not entirely happy with his strikers.

The sight of a sobbing Diya spoke of a man who thought he had done everything he could to deny his former team at least a point while helping Bosso to victory but Highlanders who blew probably their best chance to secure a rare win against Dynamos will probably on reflection look back at the moments they blew to kill off the game.

“Considering the way we played in the first 10-15 minutes we should have scored more than two goals but we went to sleep again in the dying minutes of the first half and then we came good and then we conceded a silly goal.

“It was a fair competition and thumbs up to the boys because they fought until the last minute and got the equaliser. We need goals because we can’t afford to play for draws all the time. I am always emphasising that if we get half chances we should bury them,” said Pasuwa. 

Teams:
Dynamos: A. Mukandi, T. Magorimbo, A. Mbara, P. Jaure, G. Bello, S. Alimenda (T. Muparati, 57th minute), D. Chafa, M. Murape (C. Sekete, 65th minute),  T. Mabvura, F. Zekumbawira, P. Khumbula (A. Tavarwisa, 71st minute)
Highlanders: M. Diya, B. Tshuma, B. Kangwa, D. Ndlovu, I. Mapuranga, M. Maphosa, H. Madzivanyika (P. Moyo, 53rd minute), B. Ncube (S. Munawa, 66th minute, M. Mambare, B. Chikaka (M. Ncube, 59th minute), N. Ncube