The ManicaPost
ESTEEMED followers of the game of football, thank you for finding time for interaction.The Harare Derby, pitting cross-town rivals Dynamos and CAPS United, always brings up a lot of post-match talking points and last Sunday’s at National Sports Stadium was no exception.
While Dynamos, 2-0 victors on the day, were full value for their efforts, their win brought them lots of gain.
With that victory DeMbare made ground on the title-chasing aspirants, while also steering clear of other contenders and keeping the pressure on table-topping Chicken Inn. They get to stay among the leading pack.
The Glamour Boys also drew some bragging rights out of that conquering of their neighbour, whose echoes will reverberate across the capital and also felt throughout the entire country. It will keep their momentum going, a run which has seen them stitch together six wins on the bounce. On the other hand, the loss at home brought CAPS United a load of a loss.
It cuts short their revival which had brought a good return of four wins and two draws in the last six games.
Makepekepe will have to live with the pain of the tag of “the capital city’s second best” dangling around their necks. Harare has just been painted blue and the losers will have to endure that torture until they get their revenge, at the earliest in the return leg.
The loss will make one of their several games in hand count for naught, a chastening reality which will remind them that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Losing ground in that defeat also means that the reigning champions failed to close or cover the gap between them and the rest of the teams ahead of them as they frantically try to blow some wind into the faltering sails of their title defence.
The victory came with every gain for the blue half of Harare. In the final analysis, it is hardly surprising that two of Dynamos’ leading light this season – Christian Epoupa Ntouba and Ocean Mushure – each had a hand in landing their team a crucial victory against eternal rivals CAPS United.
The former scored both goals, as did the latter provide an assist. By contrast, the Green Machine badly missed the services of an influential duo of their own – Ronald Pfumbidzai and Dominic Chungwa – who had also starred and sparkled for them.
In the games of the recent past leading to this flagship fixture, all the in-form four had been championing their respective teams’ cause with match-winning performances.
While CAPS United were cursing the transfer of Pfumbidzai and suspension of Chungwa, Dynamos were being inspired by their brilliant pair and that was the difference on the day.
What could have been if Pfumbidzai and Chungwa were available for selection?
It’s Game On, Play On!
Feedback:
Dynamos are playing an interesting game. I am a CAPS United fan and want to acknowledge the passing game the Dynamos “kidsnet” are playing.
The team is well balanced from the defenders to the strikers. Their strikers are scoring for fun. We as Makepekepe have to fight harder; the effects of [participating in] the [CAF] Champions League are being felt.
Lack of co-ordination, poor marking and fatigue are taking a toll on our team. – Tawanda Mhlanga.
***
Saving the best for last? Ocean [Mushure] is now old at 32 and it is hard to sell him to South Africa and then Europe. Our players must shine in their prime to make the most time and reap the rewards than show their mettle in their twilight years. – Crispen Tendai Masenhu.
***
Our local Castle Lager Premier Soccer League has become the nursery for the South African league, en-route to the most competitive leagues in Europe. It has become a tradition that local players have to conquer in South Africa first.
The rejects come back to dominate on the local scene. Meanwhile, it is these South African teams that benefit from our players by selling them for millions of rands to Europe and the Middle East, yet they never developed them. –Richard Mahuhushe Chauke.
For feedback, send your views, comments and contributions through WhatsApp or sms on 0733 576 259 or e-mail:[email protected]
