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RAGING BULL . . . Roderick Mutuma (left) is restrained by Black Rhinos’ Blessing Sande from continuing to confront Obey Gada (out of picture) during yesterday’s match at Gwanzura

Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter—
Dynamos………………………0
Black Rhinos………………(0)1
DYNAMOS head coach Callisto Pasuwa does not believe that the industrial action which rocked their camp during the past week had any bearing on their elimination from the Chibuku Super Cup in a drama-filled cliffhanger contest against Black Rhinos at Gwanzura yesterday. Instead, Pasuwa feels the football gods turned against them when Black Rhinos’ Nesbert Padzarondora’s shot took an awkward deflection in the 85th minute, off his team-mate Stephen Matsangaise to beat goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi in goals for Dynamos.

The goal was naturally greeted by wild celebrations from the small band of Black Rhinos supporters, while an unmistakeable flavour of CAPS United fans, clad in green and white regalia, joined in the fun.

But for Pasuwa, referee Batsirayi Muchenje should not have allowed the goal to stand as he thought Matsangaise was in an off-side position when he inadvertently aided the ball into the net.

Hardly had the celebrations died among the Rhinos fans did the match degenerate into chaos, when Roderick Mutuma and Rhinos’ Obey Gada provided a side show to the game by engaging in a mini-boxing bout at the other end of the field.

Dynamos were desperate to equalise and in the heat of the moment, Mutuma challenged Gada for the ball in the box.
Mutuma appeared to elbow Gada before charging at the defender whom he also head-butted. Gada did not take the assault lightly and threw a couple of punches at Mutuma while Dynamos fans on the northern stand joined into the fray by throwing missiles at the Chauya Chipembere man.

Black Rhinos coach Jostein Mathuthu-Mambo did not help matters either when he stormed onto the field and held onto the match ball, ordering his players off the field as police tried to restrain the opposing players from getting at each other’s throats.

Mathuthu-Mambo, still to lose a game nor concede a goal since taking over as Rhinos coach, alleged that Dynamos had many sympathisers who were ready to help them get a result.

Both Mutuma and Gada were shown red cards while Mathuthu and his assistant Gift Kamuriwo were also ejected from the technical bench by Muchenje.

When the match resumed for the last three minutes after the stoppage, it was certainly mission impossible for DeMbare and even their players’ body language could tell that they had given up hope of saving the match.

Pasuwa refused to read anything into their problems last week but was adamant that the strike, which saw players refusing to train, did not affect their performance as Black Rhinos also deserved credit for playing well.

“I would think we were very unfortunate in this game. We had our chances and could have scored but we failed . . . maybe I don’t know, but that goal Black Rhinos scored, was from an off-side position. The last man who made a touch to the ball was in an off-side position, I think,” said Pasuwa.
Black Rhinos were first off the blocks as they asked Dynamos questions in the third minute with Brian Muzondiwa sending his effort just over the bar.

Dynamos did get into their groove and forced Black Rhinos to live anxious moments with Ronald Chitiyo’s effort being cleared from the line by Gada in the seventh minute and many DeMbare fans felt it was a matter of time before they broke the deadlock.
In the first half Dynamos were the more aggressive side as they forced eight corners against Black Rhinos’ three.

However, one could count on one hand, the number of attempts that both teams directed at the goalkeepers.
Pasuwa refused to be drawn into discussing the industrial action that characterised the Dynamos camp in the run-up to yesterday’s game.

“I would not talk much about the strike. The game was balanced and we had our chances and we could not bury them, hence we lost the match,” said Pasuwa.

Pasuwa said Mutuma deserved the red card for taking matters into his own hands when he head-butted Gada.
“I think it was frustration on the side of the players when we were losing the match but we do not have to take matters into our own hands,” said Pasuwa.

However, Mathuthu-Mambo feels that his team did not deserve the red-cards as they had been provoked but he remained grateful for the stunning defeat over the champions after holding them to a draw in the league last month.

“That’s football politics. Every time we play Dynamos, everyone would be against us and we have to fight the whole nation. So we had to be brave to do that and it comes with the reward of being sent off the bench.

“Even the Son of God was crucified for the crimes he never committed and it does not come as a surprise. I am sure we are blessed with a good pair of eyes and the referees saw that he (Gada) was knocked off the ball,” said Mathuthu-Mambo.

The former ZPC Kariba and CAPS United coach, Mathuthu-Mambo denied the assertion that he contributed to the confusion and tension when he ordered his players off the field.

“I wanted to cool down the situation because missiles were coming onto the field of play. It was instinctive that I was holding on to the ball. With emotions high, I did not even realise that I was holding on the ball,” said Mathuthu-Mambo.

The Black Rhinos coach paid tribute to his players for playing as a unit and said he hopes they continue fighting in cup and league matches.

Teams: 
Dynamos: A. Mukandi, T.Magorimbo, R. Mutuma, S. Alimenda, A. Mbara, T. Ndlovu, S. Sithole, R. Chitiyo (R. Madamombe 70th minute),A. Gwatidzo, T. Rusike, M. Murape (C. Kawinga 65th minute)

Black Rhinos: S. Mafukidze, S. Choenda, W. Chakanyuka, B. Homora, D. Mbewe, S. Matsangaise, L. Chiwunga ( N. Padzarondora 46th min), B. Muzondiwa, W. Kapinda (B. Sande 87th min), M. Kurewa (R. Machaya 87th min), O. Gada