Zimpapers Logo

Eddie Chikamhi, Harare Bureau

Dynamos 1-1 Highlanders

UNRESTRAINED tensions on and off the pitch almost marred the eagerly-anticipated Castle Lager Premiership football match between Dynamos and Highlanders which ended in a stalemate at Rufaro yesterday.  

The draw was a welcome result to both teams in this match which endured a lot of stoppages because of the on-field incidents. 

DeMbare had to turn to their main striker Evans Katema for salvation. The dreadlocked forward nodded home the equaliser with seven minutes of regulation time remaining.

Highlanders had taken a 71st minute lead via Tinashe Makanda who fired home a low shot after getting a return pass which beat the unsuspecting Dynamos defenders in the box.   

Referee Munyaradzi Majoni struggled to contain the game which could have gone out of hand from the start when Highlanders players were involved in ugly skirmishes with a section of the home fans after scaling the fence into the supporters’ zone in order to gain access into the stadium.

Then the state of the turf at Rufaro yesterday was something else for such a high profile game with the middle patch of the ground covered in mud which made it difficult for the ball to flow.

And Highlanders coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh, who has been credited with the transformation at the Bulawayo giants this year, blew his top in a post-match tirade. 

De Jongh was also not happy his team spent 35 minutes outside the stadium before the hosts opened the gates for them and also had no kind words for referee Majoni for the way he handled the game.

“Today I have seen a lot of things for the first time in my life. This is surprising in my 29 years of coaching in 12 countries in the world,” said De Jongh.

“Firstly, how is it possible for professional football, I will give an example, the PSL which I believe is a professional organisation, how is it possible that we had to spend 35 minutes out of the stadium. 

“I have never seen that in my life, it’s lack of organisation. It’s not possible that you stay 35 minutes outside the stadium and the gates are not opened! 

“Second point, football is for the fans whether it’s Dynamos, Highlanders or Platinum . . . It’s for everyone. But football has to be played on a good ground, on a good pitch.

“This pitch is so bad and it doesn’t make it possible for good football. 

“I think today the referee gave us raw deal. I counted, he gave us only two free kicks in the half of the opponents and 18 free kicks in our half. How is that possible?  

“But I think it was a 50-50 game. There was no good communication between our defenders and Dynamos scored. But good football was not possible on this pitch, it was a terrible pitch. 

“I have a garden back home and they are almost the same. I am a professional coach, I like football but I cannot play on this pitch,” said De Jongh. 

Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya also felt Rufaro was not in the best shape yesterday but vented most of his anger on his players as DeMbare recorded a club record of 16 league draws in a season.

This was the eight consecutive stalemate for Ndiraya’s men. 

“I am quite disappointed by the way we conceded. I think we go back to the issue of experience. You don’t concede in such a manner. A player sets up and then receives a pass behind the defence and all the defenders are static. 

“It’s shocking from my own point of view and I thought it was a silly goal. I thought we showed character in coming back especially if you want to consider psychological fact that we have always been losing to Highlanders in these high profile matches. So I thought a draw was a fair result considering we were coming from behind,” said Ndiraya.

Earlier, Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda made a good save to deny Sean Gona’s point blank header after 23 minutes. 

But as the tensions continued to escalate Andrew Mbemba escaped with a yellow card following a professional foul on Katema who had set himself on goal after dispossessing the defender in his own half.

Highlanders enjoyed most of the ball possession with some methodical passing despite the state of the pitch but it was DeMbare who nearly stole the lead when Katema’s header bounced off the crossbar after the Bosso defenders had failed to deal decisively with a corner 10 minutes after the half-time break. 

Dynamos failed to capitalise from a counter-attack with Ali Maliselo and Edward Sadomba at the cenre of it. They then conceded from the resultant raid by Bosso. But referee Majoni had a long day yesterday and had to end the game in climax with players mobbing him following another brawl in the Bosso half. 

Teams

Dynamos:
S Chinani, E Jalai, T Muringani, M Mawadza, G Mukambi, T Chisi (J Ngahan, 78th minute), A Maliselo, A Gutu (N Katawa, 68th minute), E Sadomba, E Katema, S Gona (J Selemani, 55th minute) 

Highlanders:
A Sibanda, M Phiri, M Ndlovu, A Mbemba, P Muduhwa, N Masuku, G Makaruse (T Ndlovu, 81st minute), B Banda, A Silla, T Makanda, D Khumalo.