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Callisto Pasuwa

Tobias Mandoreba Hwange Correspondent
Hwange 1 – 0 Dynamos
SOUTH Africa-bound national team defender Erick Chipeta gave Hwange a perfect farewell, scoring the only goal as the coalminers handed defending champions Dynamos their fourth defeat of the season at the Colliery Stadium yesterday. Chipeta, who will be joining Absa Premiership returnees Chippa United, struck from the penalty spot in the 31st minute and his goal was enough for Chipangano to collect maximum points and topple How Mine FC from the top of the table.
Dynamos defender Ocean Mushure’s attempt to clear a stinging Farai Vimisai shot on the goal line resulted in first assistant referee Tione Kacheche signalling to the referee Mandlenkosi Sibanda that the player had used his hands to stop the ball from getting into the nets.

DeMbare protested the decision leading to a brief stoppage and when sanity was restored, up stepped Chipeta to send goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi the wrong way to send the home fans on cloud nine.

Hwange’s overall performance yesterday, which took them back to the apex of the log, was a bold statement that they are prepared to move mountains in their quest to land their first ever league title.

The coalminers simply reserved all their energy and determination for the big stage against a big side and in front of a big crowd to leave the vocal blue and white masses with their tails in between their legs after the final whistle.

The DeMbare fans must have left Hwange wondering what kind of tonic they require to douse the blazing coal embers after Chipangano handed them an embarrassing 2-4 defeat at the same venue last season.

The coalminers were quick to get off the blocks as they nearly scored in the opening minute had it not been for Evans Rusike’s lack of precision from a good position.
The Glamour Boys continued to miss in action in the opening stages as they were again threatened eight minutes into the match when Hwange won a free kick after Rusike was fouled at the edge of the box by Stephen Alimenda. The hosts’ free kick specialist Chipeta however disappointed with a lame effort which never bothered Mukandi.

Two minutes later, the visitors had their first sight at goal when Mushure’s curling free kick found goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya alert.
From then on, Hwange set the stadium alight with some delightful football characterised by some lovely passing to overwork the DeMbare rearguard well marshalled by Themba Ndlovu and Partson Jaure.

Then from nowhere, the Harare giants almost grabbed the opener in the 21st minute after some quick exchange of passes between Tichaona Mabvura and Alimenda who unleashed a dipping shot which required Mawaya’s reflexes to push out for a corner kick.

Hwange kept pushing for the breakthrough which came via the spot kick.
Aleck Marime and Rusike were to miss two gilt-edged chances just before the break as the hosts continued to enjoy proceedings of the opening stanza.
Dynamos came back from the breather charging  like a wounded buffalo as they started pinning Hwange in their own half with Mabvura leading the onslaught.

In the 55th minute, the roaring Dynamos faithful shook their heads in disbelief after Vimisai cleared Mabvura’s goal-bound effort from the line as the defending champions started to turn the screws on Hwange.

That was Mabvura’s last input into the game as he was surprisingly pulled out for Tafadzwa Rusike six minutes later.
Just after the hour mark, Hwange coach Nation Dube was forced to make a substitution after his goalkeeper Mawaya was stretchered off to hospital and had to be replaced by veteran goal minder Timothy Sibanda who proved he was not rusty with some crucial saves.

Fifteen minutes from time, Hwange substitute Tafara Chese could have put the match to bed when he latched onto a sitter by Rusike only to direct his effort to the skies.

Dynamos then virtually camped in the Hwange half with some purposeful attacking play but found the Hwange rearguard in no mood for favours.
Even seven minutes of injury time signalled by the fourth official proved insufficient for the Glamour Boys to pull the game out of the fire.

Dynamos fans, who invaded the town from the early hours of yesterday to set up an electrifying atmosphere of blaring car horns, waving of flags, sale of regalia and chanting of songs, wore gloomy faces at the end of the afternoon as the home fans danced and celebrated wildly.

Hwange goalkeepers’ coach Chenjerai Dube was all smiles after grinding out a morale boosting win over their highly fancied adversaries.
“It was a tough game as Dynamos came here to play football. We worked hard and fully utilised our home advantage to bag the maximum points and we thank God for that,” he said.

Callisto Pasuwa said it was a game of missed chances.
“It was a game of chances as we did not utilise the chances we got. The turning point was the penalty which was signalled by the assistant referee which I feel was not warranted but such is the game of soccer, we need to go back and do our homework and focus on the next game,” he said.

Teams
Hwange: T Mawaya (T Sibanda 65th minute); P Dube; M Mungadze; G Ndlovu; E Chipeta; A Tshuma; F Vimisai (T Chese 65th minute); R Chinyengetere; A Marime (G Zulu 65th minute); I Masame; E Rusike

Dynamos: A Mukandi; B Moyo; O Mushure; P Jaure; T Ndlovu; S Alimenda; T Magorimbo (P Khumbula 80th minute); R Chitiyo; T Mabvura (T Rusike 61st minute); S Sithole (A Gondo 52nd minute); W Pakamisa.