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Callisto Pasuwa

Augustine Hwata Harare Bureau
Dynamos 0-1 Black Rhinos
DYNAMOS head coach Callisto Pasuwa does not believe that the industrial action which rocked their camp during the past week had any bearing on their elimination from the Chibuku Super Cup in a drama-filled cliffhanger contest against Black Rhinos at Gwanzura yesterday.

Instead Pasuwa feels the football gods turned against them when Black Rhinos’ Nesbert Padzarondora’s shot took an awkward deflection in the 85th minute, off his team-mate Stephen Matsangaise to beat goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi in goals for Dynamos.

The goal was naturally greeted by wild celebrations from the small band of Black Rhinos supporters while an unmistakenable flavour of Caps United fans, clad in green and white regalia, joined in the fun.

But for Pasuwa, referee Batsirayi Muchenje should not have allowed the goal to stand as he thought Matsangaise was in an off-side position when he inadvertently aided the ball into the net.

Hardly had the celebrations died among the Rhinos fans did the match degenerate into chaos, when Roderick Mutuma and Rhinos’ Obey Gada provided a side show to the game by engaging in a mini-boxing bout at the other end of the field.

Dynamos were desperate to equalise and in the heat of the moment Mutuma challenged Gada for the ball in the box. Mutuma appeared to elbow Gada before charging at the defender whom he also head-butted.

Gada did not take the assault lightly and he also threw a couple of punches at Mutuma while Dynamos fans on the northern stand joined into the fray by throwing missiles at the Chauya Chipembere man.

Black Rhinos coach Jostein Mathuthu-Mambo did not help matters either when he stormed onto the field and held onto the match ball, ordering his players off the field as police tried to restrain the opposing players from getting at each other’s throats.

Mathuthu-Mambo, still to lose a game nor concede a goal since taking over as Rhinos coach, alleged that Dynamos had many sympathisers who were ready to help them get a result.

Both Mutuma and Gada were shown red cards while Mathuthu and his assistant Gift Kamuriwo were also ejected from the technical bench by Muchenje.

When the match resumed for the last three minutes after the stoppage, it was certainly mission impossible for DeMbare and even their players’ body language could tell they had given up hope of saving the match.

Pasuwa refused to read anything into their problems last week but was adamant that the strike, which saw players refusing to train, did not affect their performance as Black Rhinos also deserved credit for playing well.

“I would think we were very unfortunate in this game. We had our chances and could have scored but we failed . . . maybe I don’t know, but that goal Black Rhinos scored, was from an off-side position. The last man who made a touch to the ball was in an off-side position, I think,” said Pasuwa.

Teams

Dynamos: A Mukandi, T Magorimbo, R Mutuma, S Alimenda, A Mbara, T Ndlovu, S Sithole, R Chitiyo (R Madamombe 70th minute), A Gwatidzo, T Rusike, M Murape (C Kawinga 65th minute)

Black Rhinos: S Mafukidze, S Choenda, W Chakanyuka, B Homora, D Mbewe, S Matsangaise, L Chiwunga (N Padzarondora 46th min), B Muzondiwa, W Kapinda (B Sande 87th min), M Kurewa (R Machaya 87th min), O Gada