Harare Derby Delight

Sport
A PENALTY settled matters in the 70th Harare Derby as Dynamos made it four consecutive wins when they edged rivals Caps United in a Castle Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday. Report by Henry Mhara, Newsday Caps United . . . . . 0 Dynamos . . . . . (1) […]

A PENALTY settled matters in the 70th Harare Derby as Dynamos made it four consecutive wins when they edged rivals Caps United in a Castle Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday.

Report by Henry Mhara, Newsday

Caps United . . . . . 0 Dynamos . . . . . (1) 1

Devon Chafa sent Caps goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube the wrong side after Clive Kawinga had been clearly upended in the box by Arnold Chivheya as Dynamos continued their dominance over the Green Machine, who lost their fifth game of the season.

With the win, Dynamos are now in fifth position with 18 points, three behind leaders FC Platinum who drew 1-1 with Monomotapa on Saturday and two behind second-placed Highlanders, who lost the Bulawayo Derby 2-1 to How Mine yesterday.

Harare City also have 20 points after beating Triangle 2-0 on Friday and lie in third place.

“We knew what we wanted,” Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa said after the match.

“Caps United played really well and controlled the match for the most part of the game, but at the end of the day it’s the goals that count.

“Our plan for the future is to continue getting those three points. We want to be at least on second position when the season reaches the half-way stage,” Pasuwa added. Caps United coach Taurai Mangwiro said his team deserved a point from the match.

“I thought we put up a fight and we could have gone with at least a point, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be,” Mangwiro said. “That is what happens when it is not your day. You need luck at times to win a match.”

Played in a peaceful atmosphere, but in stinging cold weather conditions, the match failed to live to its pre-match billing, producing none of the expected fireworks save for four yellow cards in the first half and two in the second half.

For Dynamos, veteran midfielder Murape Murape was a virtual passenger and his continued presence in the starting line up ahead of Boban Bogere raised further questions among the Dynamos faithfuls.

Washington Pakamisa, who was on song in the last three games, was “absent” from the match, placed under “house arrest” by former Dynamos defender George Magariro. Kawinga made one contribution to the match — the assist to the winning goal.

Caps kingpin Hardlife Zvirekwi had a tough time and Tawanda Nyamandwe could have equalised, but shot horribly wide with the Dynamos defence at sea.

The game was not as intense as expected for the Harare derby, but tackles were flying all over the place and four yellow cards had been dished out by time the clock hit the quarter hour mark.

Rahman Kutsanzira forced Dynamos goalie George Chigova into a reflex save in what was Caps United’s first real chance on 15 minutes.

But it was Dynamos who would put their noses in front when Chivheya hacked Kawinga inside the six yard as the striker prepared to shoot.

The referee pointed to the spot and Chafa’s firm shot hit the nets, with Dube diving the wrong side.

Caps reacted to the goal with some good interplay, but it was Dynamos who almost increased their lead when Tawanda Muparati escaped on the left to shoot, but his point blank effort was well saved by the outdrawn Dube.

On the other end, Chigova made a good save from a Ronald Pfumbidzai’s curling shot.

On 43 minutes, Chafa who had been brilliant for Dynamos this far, unleashed a good shot from distance using his weaker left foot and Dube had to make a double save to smother the ball.

Minutes later, Kawinga wasted a good opportunity for Dynamos when he got to the end of a Muparati cross, but he took his time to shoot and a Caps defender recovered to block the effort.

Caps were forced to defend resolutely in the opening minutes after the interval, with balls coming in from both flanks, but still Dube was not probed to make a proper save. Pfumbidzai’s shot from a good range on 80th minute went high and wide.

Spaces, inevitably at this stage of the game, were opening up at either end.

Ocean Mushure galloped forward for Dynamos, but shot wide.

Caps forced Dynamos into some hurried clearances as the clock ticked towards the end of normal time with Nyamandwe hitting the advertising boards in the dying minutes. Another tireless Pfumbidzai run on the left won Caps a free kick inside stoppage time to no result.

The ball was played into the box and Caps captain Tapiwa Khumbuyani rose clear to head against the upright.

Dynamos had survived to win yet another Harare derby.