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Eddie Chikamhi Harare Bureau
Dynamos 5-1 Whawha
DYNAMOS coach Tonderai Ndiraya got the perfect response he had demanded from his team yesterday when the champions recovered from last weekend’s humbling at FC Platinum by pumping a glut of goals against ill-starred newboys Whawha in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Rufaro.

The youthful coach looked relieved following a fiery first half performance which yielded five goals after Ocean Mushure, Ronald Chitiyo, Takesure Chinyama and Godknows Murwira were on target.

Whawha defender Gift Kwaramba unwittingly aided to Dynamos’ cause when he miscued the ball into his own nets but there was still time in those opening 45 minutes of the game for former PSL Golden Boot winner Nelson Maziwisa to get the consolation goal for the visitors.

Although the win was not enough for Dynamos to recover the lost ground following the 1-3 defeat at Mandava in their last assignment, Ndiraya was happy with the spirit and energy demonstrated by his boys ahead of the remainder of the season.

“Five-one it is but we only got three points. I wish we could get more points by scoring more goals. All the same it’s good for the boys, it’s good for the team to score goals,” said Ndiraya.

“I think this was our first game this season to score as many goals. The three points will keep us up there with the rest, we will maintain our position. We will keep working hard and then we will see where we will be at the end of the season.”

Ndiraya said DeMbare’s focus remains hinged on retaining the championship which they have won in the last four years. But the prospects look challenging after the leading teams Chicken Inn and FC Platinum were involved in crucial away wins to keep the log table unchanged at the top.

DeMbare are third with 42 points in the bag while Chicken Inn managed to keep their stranglehold on the race after winning at Triangle to take their tally to 49 points.

However, the Glamour Boys showed intent early in the game yesterday and were already four goals up in the first 21 minutes.

Roving left back Mushure, who missed the side’s last two assignments due to suspension, opened the scoring when he beat goalkeeper Stanley Chakwana with a free-kick from just outside the box 12 minutes into the game.

Dynamos’ midfield genius Chitiyo doubled the lead six minutes later when he pounced on a rebound after the goalkeeper Chakwana had denied out of sorts forward Roderick Mutuma from close range.

Chitiyo collected the ball in the crowded box and created enough space for himself with some skillful play before he unleashed a rising shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance this time.

And it was an incredible moment for DeMbare as they scored three goals inside three minutes. Just as Whawha were still trying to re-organise themselves, Chinyama caught them by surprise when he poked home the third on 20 minutes.

DeMbare then got their fourth goal a minute later when Kwaramba’s attempt to block Mushure’s cross turned disastrous. But the visitors did not immediately throw in the towel.

Maziwisa reduced the arrears when he beat Dynamos goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva at the near post in the 34th minute. But Murwira piled more misery on the prison wardens by converting a free-kick taken from a distance three minutes later.

DeMbare however were left to rue a couple of chances which could have given them a netball scoreline in the first half had the main culprit Mutuma applied himself well. A serious player in Mutuma’s boots yesterday could have probably found himself bagging a hat-trick.

“I thought we created lots of chances especially in the first half. We could have gone to the break with, maybe 10. First five minutes, I think we created two good chances which we fluffed but at the end of the day I’m impressed by the result and by the goals we scored although I thought we could have done more,” said Ndiraya.

His opposite number Lloyd Mutasa, a former Dynamos player and coach, said his side did not turn up for the match. Mutasa said their defence was shaky and they lost the plot early in the match when they allowed DeMbare space to score goals.

“I think it was one of the worst games we have ever played in the Premier League. It’s a game probably the youngsters gave away in the first 20 minutes. When you concede four goals against the defending champions in the first 20 minutes then you’re out of it,” said Mutasa.

Whawha remained stuck in the relegation zone with 19 points. With seven matches remaining in the season, Mutasa said it was now difficult for them to move to a position of safety.

“We’ve put ourselves in a tight corner and probably we just have to try and make up for it by winning games. But like I said before the destiny is no longer in our hands. So we have to look at ourselves and then look at how other teams are performing,” said Mutasa.