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

Hwange ………… (0) 2

DYNAMOS goalminder Simba Chinani was the Fall Guy at Rufaro yesterday as the Harare giants threw away their lead to lose a Castle Lager Premiership football match they thought they had in the bag to Hwange in what boiled down to a tale of two goalkeepers experiencing contrasting fortunes at Rufaro yesterday.

Chinani had a bad day in the office while Hwange’s Taimon Mvula made a series of match-winning saves, including a last gasp bicycle kick by DeMbare skipper Edward Sadomba, to ensure that the Premiership returnees went home with maximum points.

Ted Ndlovu scored the winner for Hwange moments after he was introduced after Eddie Nkulungo had cancelled out Tawanda Macheke’s opener for Dynamos shortly after the hour mark.

Although DeMbare’s performance was a notch above their display in their season opener when they beat newboys Mushowani last week, goalkeeper Mvula was the striking difference between this vastly improved Dynamos and a Hwange side who came fighting for their lives.

The 25-year-old goalkeeper practically overshadowed the hosts, who on many occasions showed their might in a game that they also fielded their impressive Cameroonian players Claude Junior Ngahan and Vincent Hevre Mbega for the first time.

DeMbare had the most chances in both halves but Mvula literally kept them at bay.

“He was excellent that was one of his best games that I have ever watched. I thought he was outstanding and everyone could see that he is a good goalkeeper,” said Hwange assistant coach Brian Njovu.

The coal miners, who opened their campaign with a 2-0 home win over Yadah last weekend, were excited by the result. Njovu said they had not expected they would come back after they had conceded first in the 61st minute and gave credit to their men for their fighting spirit.

“I thought we did well to come back, it was a difficult match. You know Dynamos are one of the biggest teams in Zimbabwe and it’s not easy to play them in their home ground and I thought we were brave enough to come back from a game down to actually take the three points,” said Njovu.

Mvula was not intimidated by the vociferous Dynamos crowd after the giants got off to a flying start, denying Emmanuel Jalai and defender Munyaradzi Mawadza, who prodded home a loose ball from a corner early in the first half.

Still DeMbare enjoyed greater possession and created the most scoring chances despite some occasional forays by the visitors.

There were many exciting moments for the hosts and the highlight of the day was when Cameroonian Ngahan rode over a couple of tackles just after the break into the box but Hwange remained resolute.

All the while Mvula was always in the centre of the things.

But Macheke broke the ice with a fine finish just over an hour played when he controlled a pass from Tinotenda Muringai and coolly slotted the ball between the keeper’s legs. DeMbare’s celebrations were short-lived as Hwange hit almost instantly from a free-kick after goalkeeper Chinani fumbled a ball to the near post in the 63rd minute. Then defender Jimmy Tigere needlessly lost possession in the box and they were duly punished when substitute Ncube fired a low shot into the bottom corner. Again Chinani could have done better although the ball had taken a slight deflection.

On the other end, DeMbare could have got a late equaliser but Mvula kept frustrating them after scooping the ball from the line when Sadomba had connected with a low bicycle-kick from close-range.

The Glamour Boys coach Lloyd Chigowe chastised his players for going to sleep at the wrong moments.

“We were not that bad in terms of our overall performance. Hwange defended for their lives and at times they were defending in numbers and they took their chances. I would like to say we went to sleep at the wrong moments of the game.

“We also had some sloppy defending and we gave away two gift goals. I am not very happy especially with the way we defended. We could have scored more goals had we not gone to sleep in defence,” said Chigowe.

Teams

Dynamos: S. Chinani, A. Maliselo (J. Selemani, 76th minute), T. Muringani, M. Mawadza, J. Tigere, V. Mbega (T. Chisi, 46th min), E. Jalai, T. Moffat, T. Macheke, E. Sadomba, C. Ngahan (N. Katawa, 83rd minute)

Hwange: T. Mvula. K. Matake, N. Chinyerere, F. Chindungwe, G. Ndlovu, E. Nkulungo, A. Banda, A. Ndlovu (T. Ncube, 65th minute), S. Gadzikwa, E. Gwitima (G. Zulu, 90th minute), D. Maphosa