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Makomborero Mutimukulu in GWERU
Chapungu . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 2
JUST a few days ago, Dynamos were bottom of the Castle Lager Premiership table and had turned into such a joke everyone was taking turns to mock them as they struggled in those murky waters. One CAPS United fan even brought a placard to the National Sports Stadium during the Harare Derby predicting the fixtures which the Glamour Boys would be playing in the ZIFA Northern Region Division One League next year.

It’s a measure of their pedigree that when they sneeze, as was the case in the first seven league matches of the season, fans of clubs which have suffered under the dominance of these Harare giants find it fashionable to mock them.

DeMbare are a super brand in domestic football and are never expected to be seen dining with the whipping boys in the lower ends of the table.

But that’s where they were just a few days ago when ZPC Kariba leapfrogged after the men from the resort town picked a point against Shabanie Mine.

Lloyd Mutasa looked a miserable man, living on borrowed time and was handed a three-game ultimatum by the club’s leaders to turn things around.

He was told to win all the three matches, starting with the battle against Bulawayo City during the Easter holiday, and this battle against Chapungu at Ascot yesterday.

And, DeMbare being DeMbare, and Mutasa being Mutasa, something has changed.
Two straight wins have seen the Glamour Boys move into 10th place on the 18-team table and they are 14 points behind leaders Ngezi Platinum.

Crucially, they are now just six points shy of their biggest city rivals CAPS United.
The Glamour Boys were far from glamorous yesterday, but for a team that went winless for seven league matches, they will probably argue that the end justified the means at Ascot yesterday.

This was the second of three steps their embattled coach Mutasa needs not to fluff.
Any misstep was going to be fatal.

And, just like the way he passed the first step in edging Bulawayo City 2-1 and costing Darlington Dodo his job, yesterday’s assignment ended with a similar scoreline.

Mutasa will probably not have an easier game this season and, suddenly, no one is accusing Richard Chihoro, the former team manager, of cursing the club.

The only thing threatening about the airmen yesterday was the heavy security they deployed at Ascot in anticipation of trouble from those Shurugwi hooligans who terrorised CAPS United.
Next up for DeMbare is Harare City.

It’s a tricky one, but judging by the way Dynamos swept past Chapungu it’s safe to suggest that City will face an opponent that now has the famous Chazunguza spring in their step.

The visitors had an explosive start and were deservedly ahead on 10 minutes, Kuda Kumwala drilling beyond Talbert Shumba, the giant Chapungu goalie.

Quality Kangadze, who missed a number of chances in the Harare Derby, doubled the lead on 33 minutes, nodding home after some brilliant work by Emmanuel Mandiranga down the left flank.

Disappointed by his team’s abysmal start, Chapungu coach Tendai Chikuni hauled off Bruno Mtigo and Charles Mativenga six minutes before the breather.

But the new arrivals Phillip Marufu and Emmanuel Chitauro never got going as well and DeMbare continued with their dominance in the second half.

Kumwala, often lampooned as a Dynamos misfit who is not fit to wear the jersey number 13 made famous by the iconic Memory Mucherahohwa, enjoyed playing without pressure.

Godfrey Mukambi did more than what was enough at the back, adding some animation to every clearance, no matter how routine it was.

Needless to add that the DeMbare fans, including some who snubbed the weekend match at Rufaro, made the trip for this midweek clash and loved every touch of the man they nickname MaRubber.

Chapungu gave Dynamos a late fright, when Marufu bundled home in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late, for the home side.

Mutasa felt his team could have scored, but welcomed a second win on the bounce.
“It’s a welcome result, we just hope to continue going. I cannot say we are up and running as yet, but as a team we always have that feeling, that confidence, that we can win every game.

“We are happy to have won a second game on the run and will push for more,” he said.
Chapungu gaffer Chikuni had a bone to chew with referee Philani Ncube.
“Sometimes when you play these big teams it’s difficult to get some decisions. In the second half we went all out, but we were frustrated by some of the calls made,” said Chikuni.

Teams
Chapungu: T Shumba, C Mativenga (E Chitauro 39th min) B Chihowa, C Kwaramba, R Matutu, M Muchangami, I Nyoni (B Mugoni 62nd min), E Muzanenhamo, A Tavarwisa, B Mtigo (P Marufu 39th min), B Sahondo
Dynamos: T Mateyaunga, G Mukambi, M Machazane, O Mwerahari, J Marufu, B Moyo, K Dhemere (M Mukumba 50th min) E Mandiranga (C Kapupurika 76th min) P Mutasa (P Makaha 52nd min) Q Kangadzi, K Kumwala.