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Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

NEWMAN SINCHALI was denied the chance to write a piece of Harare Derby history for himself at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.

The veteran forward came tantalisingly close to becoming the first man to score the winning goal on either side of the Great Divide in successive Derbies.

In the last Harare Derby, at the same venue on November 29, 2019, Sianchali scored the only goal as CAPS United edged Dynamos 1-0 in a league match.

The Green Machine, then chasing the league championship, beat their biggest opponents in a tight contest courtesy of a first half header by Sianchali.

Valentine Musarurwa sent in an inviting cross and the forward timed his position, and leap to perfection to score the game’s only goal.

On Sunday, he was thrown into battle, for his first game as a Glamour Boy, and almost grabbed the winner in the second half.

His speculative effort from distance, was set to hit the target only for goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga to produce a wonderful reflex save.

Had that effort gone in, in a match which ended 1-1, with both goals coming in the first half, it’s likely it would have been the winner.

And, for Sianchali, this would have been a place in the history books.

Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya threw in Sianchali into the fray, banking on his experience, in a game which always demands a lot from those who take part in it.

“We had young Tanaka Chidhobha, who has been starting all our matches, on the left,’’ Ndiraya said.

“He is a young player and is new to this level of the game.

“So, we thought we could also rest him and play Newman Sianchali, for obvious reasons.

“We thought, perhaps, if we set him up against his former team, he would get us the goals that we were looking for.

“Of course, he didn’t score but his contributions really helped the team both in attack and in defence.

“We also played four central midfielders because we knew that CAPS United were very good in midfield so we had to come up with a plan by playing Juan (Mutudza), Barnabas (Mushunje), Shadreck (Nyahwa) and Trevor (Mavhunga).

“That really worked for us and that was the reason we had an edge in midfield. A draw was okay but I felt we should have gotten more from that game.’’

The Chibuku Super Cup groups are shaping up nicely and Dynamos are now feeling the pressure in Group One.

The Glamour Boys had appeared to have taken total control of the group, based in the capital, last week after a crushing 4-0 win over Yadah.

But, although they still are in the lead, the chasing pack are within striking distance. Dynamos now have eight points in the bag, after four rounds of matches, while CAPS United are second, with six points.

The DeMbare defence was breached, for the first time in this tournament, after defender Emmanuel Jalai turned the ball into his own goal.

Harare City chalked their first win on Saturday, to take their tally, to six points.

William Manondo and Clive Rupiya were on target for Lloyd Chitembwe’s men as the Sunshine Boys emerged 2-1 winners over Herentals.

ZPC Kariba also got their first win when they dismissed Yadah 1-0 on Sunday to take their points tally to five.

This sets up exciting duels, in the next round of matches, as Dynamos face Harare City on Saturday while the Kariba side face CAPS United on Sunday.

Winless teams Yadah and Herentals have a breakfast meeting on Saturday.

Fixtures

Saturday: Herentals vs Yadah (Grp 1, 11 am at National Sports Stadium), Dynamos vs Harare City (Grp 1, 3 pm at National Sports Stadium)

Sunday: ZPC Kariba vs CAPS United (Grp 1, 1 pm at National Sports Stadium)