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Grace Chingoma Harare Bureau
Dynamos 1 – 0 Chapungu

DYNAMOS third-choice goalkeeper Ashley Reyners was the hero of the day when he saved a penalty on his debut as he kept his team in the game in yesterday’s Castle Lager Premiership soccer match at Rufaro.

The tall goalkeeper quickly endeared himself with the hard to please DeMbare fans and was showered with some money at the end of the game.

In the absence of DeMbare’s first-choice Tatenda Mukuruva, who was away in Guinea with the Warriors, coach Lloyd Mutasa brought in Reyners, who was playing in his first match after having only come on as a substitute in the previous home game against Harare City.

And Reyners grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he saved Chapungu skipper Tafadzwa Mombeshora’s spot kick in the 71st minute after referee Nomore Musundire had adjudged an infringement inside the box by Dynamos defender Marshal Machazane.

The goalkeeper dived to the right and punched the ball out of danger to preserve the one-goal lead for the hosts after they had opened the scoring in the first half through Wisdom Mutasa.

“Today, it was the day I got my debut and I had to play well so that the fans know that I am someone who is adding value to the team.

“The coach motivated me when I was walking into the pitch and said ‘you have done it before, you have played football before, it is still the same as the way you have played at Triangle’.

“This really motivated me and when I went into the pitch, I just had to express myself,” said Reyners.

He said understudying the country’s number one goalminder Mukuruva has helped him a lot as he is kept on his toes so that he proves he is also a good ‘keeper.

“We are helping each other at training, he (Mukuruva) is Zimbabwe’s number one goalminder so I have to express myself and we will see in the future,” said Reyners.

He also thanked the fans for “the Sunday offering” he received.

It was a day of firsts at Rufaro yesterday as Dynamos midfielder Wisdom Mutasa also got his first goal in the club’s colours when he scored in the 13th minute.

He benefited from a rebound after Denver Mukamba had subtracted a marker and crossed the ball which troubled Chapungu keeper Roy Mazingi.

Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa said they deserved to win on an afternoon they created a number of chances.

“If you look at the way we played in the first half we did not only create chances but some good chances that could have taken us through this game. But because we managed to score one goal we had to fight until the end.

“The creativity is there but the conversion is not directly proportional to the creativity and it is something that is worrisome but something that we have to go back and work on as well,” he said.

The DeMbare coach also praised his keeper of the day Reyner who is the third in the pecking order behind Mukuruva and Tonderai Mateyaunga.

“It is part of his job saving penalties. He has done it at training and it wasn’t a surprise for him to do this and you look at the way he came in during the previous match, he accounted well for himself hence he got the nod today and he did well to justify his inclusion,” said Lloyd Mutasa.

However, the DeMbare gaffer said he is still searching for consistency from his charges and would appreciate it if they start doing so in the next match against Highlanders at the weekend.

And on his son Wisdom getting on the scoresheet, the coach was diplomatic and said he is happy when all his players do well as they are all his sons.

“When you are a Dynamos coach you look at Brett Amidu, you look at Musa Madhiri and they are all your sons and it is part of the game and he (Wisdom) is employed to do that,” said Lloyd Mutasa.

Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino said the chances they wasted including a penalty cost them the match.

“Basically I can say we lost to a lucky side, a lucky side who got a number of chances and were able to save a penalty. We lost to a lucky side. Overall, we played better than them but at the end of the game what counts is the result.

“We lacked that killer punch in the final third. A penalty is a chance we could have utilised but the way forward is to look forward to our next game against Harare City,” said Nyikadzino.

Teams

Dynamos: A. Reyners, D. Mukandi, O. Mushure, O. Mwerahari, M. Machazana, S. Alimenda, M. Mambare, T. Sadiki (V. Ndaba 73rd minute), W. Mutasa (B. Amidu 54th minute), D. Mukamba, J. Muzokomba (R. Mutuma 65th minute).

Chapungu: R. Mazingi, C. Matinenga, H. Mugoniwa, B. Mbavarira, B. Zabula, T. Mombeshore, F. Mombeshora, F. Bushiri (G. Phiri 19th minute), C Kapupurika, A. Peperere, P. Marufu, A. Marime (P. Kumbula 57th minute).