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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
Dynamos  ……………………(0) 1

Chapungu …………………….0

GHANAIAN Robert Sackey made the difference on his debut for Dynamos when he rose from the bench and grabbed a late winner in this tough Castle Lager Premiership football assignment against Chapungu at Rufaro yesterday.

The midfielder brought the house down three minutes into stoppage-time when he beat the badly exposed Chapungu goalkeeper Talbert Shumba with a powerful left-footer which all but erased the seething emotions in the terraces following a rather disappointing shift by the hosts in this early kick-off.

DeMbare skipper Edward Sadomba, who was full of energy the whole afternoon, should also have left the park with a great deal of satisfaction after providing the brilliant assist.

Sadomba had earlier in the first half shook his head in disbelief after goalkeeper Shumba made a spectacular save to keep out his dipping long-range strike.

A draw was possibly going to be a fair result for both teams. But just as Chapungu were beginning to wind down the clock, a long delivery from the back found Sadomba who controlled well and released the ball into the path of the unmarked Ghanaian Sackey. Sackey, who appeared unsettled earlier on, silenced his critics when he responded with a powerful shot and the goal could help his confidence after he had missed almost the whole first half of the season with injuries.

“I just want to thank the coach for giving me this opportunity to play because when I came I was facing challenges with injuries each and every time. But the coach gave me this opportunity,” said Sackey.

“Every time I go to the office I always told them that the day I am going to start I am going to score. So when the ball was passed to me I knew I was going to score. I believe in myself, I know what I can do,” he added.

DeMbare needed to bounce back at home after dropping five points in their last two games against Manica Diamonds and Highlanders, but coach Tonderayi Ndiraya’s men were always found on the back-foot against the visiting Air Force of Zimbabwe side that played with so much energy yesterday. Forwards Patrick Khumbula, Ian Nyoni and Allen Tavarwisa were always a handful but there were no clear-cut chances despite many forays they made into the DeMbare territory.

The visitors had the upper-hand in the exchanges and midfielder Maxwell Mavuto forced a good save from Chinani from a free-kick after Jimmy Tigere had fouled Nigel Hunga at the edge of the box with five minutes before the break.

Action quickly swung to the other end of goal where Chapungu goalkeeper Shumba made a stunning reflex save to deny DeMbare who had made a swift counter-attack with Sadomba. The big keeper had strayed from his area but he somehow found the reflex to keep out a dipping shot from Sadomba.

“Of course, they say there is no bad win. Obviously after we got defeated in our last match you can’t ask for more. It was a good result but quite frankly and honestly we failed to find the rhythm today. “It was a difficult game for us. Maybe it was because of the mid-season break but I am not happy about how we performed as a team. I thought we were not ourselves in all departments,” said Dynamos coach Ndiraya after the match.

Chapungu coach Rodwell Dhlakama was gutted by the result as his side has failed to win a game in their last six consecutive games.

“It’s a painful defeat given that we created several chances which we failed to convert. I thought a point was better on the road but unfortunately towards the end of the game we failed to concentrate,” said Dhlakama.

Teams

Dynamos: S. Chinani, G. Mukambi, T. Muringai, J. Tigere, M. Mawadza, A. Maliselo, T. Chisi (R. Sackey, 46th minute), J. Selemani, T. Macheke (T. Macheke, 73rd minute), C. Ngahan (S. Mupamawonde, 60th minute), E. Sadomba

Chapungu: T. Shumba, P. Gumbo, H. Mugoniwa, B. Mbavarira, M. Muchingami, G. Mleya, I. Nyoni, M. Mavuto ( B. Mugoni, 54th minute), N. Hunga (W. Mupasiri, 75th minute), P. Kumbula (E. Chirape, 60th minute), A. Tavarwisa.