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Tawanda Mangome in Chiredzi
Chiredzi FC 0-1 Dynamos FC
A SOLITARY strike by Patrick Khumbula ensured that defending champions Dynamos picked up maximum points on the road against struggling Chiredzi FC at Chishamiso Stadium yesterday. The result in the Eastern Lowveld was Dynamos’ second consecutive win in as many matches after they beat FC Platinum by a similar scoreline in a midweek match played at the National Sports Stadium.

The Chiredzi-born and bred Dynamos striker put his side ahead just after the half hour mark after he got to the end of an Ocean Mushure cross from the left, beat two markers before firing past the home team goalkeeper Stephen Chimusoro.

Despite the victory, the Dynamos gaffer Callisto Pasuwa conceded that the Premiership newboys, who are finding life in the topflight tough, were far much better in the first half.

“Our problem is that we tend to relax when we play these so-called small teams and they were the better side in the first half. Had they been sharp, they could have buried us in the first half,” he said.

Chiredzi FC coach Moses Chunga said his team needs to start collecting maximum points as they race against time to get out of the murky relegation waters.

He said they are on the verge of getting sponsorship from Air Namibia.
“We are not converting the few chances that come our way. We went to sleep and we got punished. Right now we are trying to partner Air Namibia and for us to bring them on board we have to start winning. We have to fight hard to make sure that we win and bring sponsors on board,” Chunga said.

With just two minutes into the match, Chiredzi’s Abel Gwatidzo shot over the bar inside the box with opposition defenders at sixes and sevens.
Exciting midfielder Ronald Chitiyo, who had a quiet game, did well in the seventh minute to shrug off a challenge by right back Gift Kwaramba but failed to keep his effort on the target, blazing his shot over the bar.

The home side was by far the better team in the first half but could not turn their dominance into goals thereby letting Dynamos get away with three points.

Khumbula should have made it two for Dynamos in the 36th minute but could not direct his header on target.
It seems Pasuwa had a good talk with his players at half time as they came back a more rejuvenated side. Chimusoro, who had a good day between the posts, denied the visitors the second goal of the game after saving Simba Sithole’s header two minutes after the restart.

Sithole was to haunt the visitors’ backline again after picking a loose ball in the middle of the park before unleashing a 30-metre drive that Chimusoro saved. Chiredzi’s right wingback Tapiwa Depistara made good work of his opposition markers before sending an inviting cross but striker Malvern Gaki was shrugged off the ball by Partson Jaure in the 61th minute.

Three minutes later the home side missed a clear cut chance to equalise with Gwatidzo hitting the side net with only Dynamos goalkeeper George Chigova to beat.

Tafadzwa Rusike, who was on top of the game yesterday, let his teammates down in the 78th minute when he failed to beat Chimusoro in a one-on-one situation.