Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Petros Kausiyo
16 November 2009
Harare — LITTLE Kiglon sent shock waves around the domestic football scene yesterday when they powered their way from behind to stun Dynamos and derail the Harare giants' CBZ Premiership title hopes at Rufaro.
The Chitungwiza-based outfit had warned Dynamos to expect a "David versus Goliath" act in the build-up to the game and they simply did that when twice coming from behind before snatching an injury winner that silenced the DeMbare faithful at Rufaro.
In a match that really came to life in a drizzly second period, it took veteran forward Gift Zvavanhu, deemed excess baggage at Dynamos at the start of this year, to deliver the killer blow that was greeted with so much excitement across town at Gwanzura where Gunners were beating Monomotapa 2-0.
Kiglon's sweet victory not only guaranteed the Chitungwiza side a place in the Premiership next season, but unassuming coach Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe helped hand the initiative to Gunners in the title race.
Gunners -- with 55 points -- are now two points ahead of Dynamos with six points still to play for in the title race while Kiglon, who had been in a precarious position after accumulating 33, are now even poised for a top eight finish after taking their tally to 36.
But what made the victory even sweeter for Kiglon is that their rookie side fought with so much conviction, twice forcing their back into contention via a brace from little forward Osbourne Mukuradare, who struck in the 36th and 76th minutes.
Dynamos chief striker Cuthbert Malajila, who also struck a double, had thrust his side into the lead after just 13 minutes before heading home his second in the 61st minute.
That was before Zvavanhu rose to nod home Passmore Bernard's corner in the second minute of the three minutes that promising Harare referee Ruzive Ruzive had added on.
It really was a sucker punch that drained the life out of the Dynamos faithful and their divided leadership but gave the small Kiglon family that included their management, players, technical team and a handful of supporters every reason to party.
Yet it was Dynamos who should have got off to a flying start with Malajila being denied by the underside of the bar in what should have been one of the fastest goals of the season.
The game was barely 40 seconds old when Dynamos went on their first attack down the right flank and Eddie Mashiri sent in a low delivery which Malajila latched on to.
Although the Warriors striker did well to beat Kiglon goalkeeper Ronald Mudimu, his effort hit the underside of the cross bar, bounced back into play and still Dynamos had an opportunity to score, but Benjamin Marere made a mess of his follow-up header and directed his effort over.
Dynamos kept pressing on with both Mashiri and Marere coming close.
That early pressure eventually paid off when Marere, full of running, found possession on the left and sent Malajila through on a diagonal run with a fine pass.
Malajila drew Mudimu off his line and neatly tucked the ball to the far corner of the nets. Dynamos then suffered a setback in the 32nd minute when stand-in skipper Reuben Mhlanga tumbled unchallenged in his own half and hurt his knee cap and was subsequently replaced by rookie defender Augustine Mbara.
Despite conceding an early goal, Kiglon, for whom skipper Mudiwa Mususa, Isaac Pitamuja and Herbert Mhundwa were dominant in midfield, never gave up. They were duly rewarded for their fighting spirit in the 36th minute when Mukuradare ghosted into the box to meet a Zvavanhu cross and stab the ball home. That Kiglon goal appeared to unsettle Dynamos and with the trio of Carrington Gomba, Milton Makopa, who played a blinder against Highlanders last Sunday, and Wonder Sithole virtually anonymous, Jongwe's men had every reason to fancy their chances.
Jongwe also won his battle of wits against Elvis Chiweshe as Kiglon kept on pressing Dynamos each time they were not in possession, forcing the Harare giants to make some errors.
But they found themselves trailing again in the 61st minute when Malajila's glancing header found the mark off a free-kick.
The former Chapungu and Highlanders man could have made it three, four minutes later, but he chose to connect substitute Mbara's cross with his chest when a header could have given the ball more precision and power.
Kiglon had survived and they came searching for the equaliser in the 70th minute when centre-back Casper Machona, in a rare adventure upfront, released a rising shot that just went wide with Dynamos goalkeeper Ephraim Mazarura way off his line.
Each time Kiglon pressed, Dynamos looked nervy at the back and in the 76th minute that pressing yielded a goal following a calamitous blunder from George Magariro that allowed Mukuradare to sneak in and chip the ball over a drawn-out Mazarura.
Jongwe brought on Dominic Benati for Mhundwa in the 81st minute and the former Flame Lily midfielder added more width in the Kiglon attack.
A minute into added time, Dynamos were caught flat off an ill-conceived offside trap and Edmore Chitato capitalised.
But with Mazarura coming in to narrow the angle, Chitato lacked precision and his low effort could only yield a corner from the Dynamos goalkeeper.
It was from that resultant corner that Zvavanhu beat the static duo of William Mapfumo and Magariro to the ball and headed home the winner.
Jongwe could not contain his joy afterwards and paid tribute to his players "for showing character before an intimidating atmosphere".
"Some of the players I have were only playing Division One football a year or two ago and it can be intimidating to play Dynamos at Rufaro, especially when you fall behind.
"But I want to thank my players for fighting on and now another dance with the PSL looms. I also felt that the two goals we conceded were due to laxity in concentration, but fortunately for us, we had an edge over the Dynamos central midfielders and football these days is mostly won in midfield," Jongwe said. Dynamos assistant coach Tonderai Ndiraya acknowledged that his side now faces a tough task to reclaim top spot, but insisted they would not give up until the end of the last two matches.
"We were our own worst enemies today. We made two silly blunders at the back and that cost us the match.
"We were too slow to react in defence, but we are not giving up. There are still six points to play for and we will have to do our best to beat Gunners and then Shooting Stars," Ndiraya said.
Teams:
Kiglon: R. Mudimu, P Bernard, B. Chimwamuchere, T. Munyanduri, C. Machona, G. Zvavanhu, H Mhundwa (D. Benati 81st minute), I. Pitamuja, M. Mususa, E. Chitato, O. Mukuradare.
Dynamos: E. Mazarura, B. Tuwaya, R. Mhlanga, W. Mapfumo, G. Magariro, C. Gomba, M. Makopa, E. Mashiri, B. Marere, C. Malajila, W. Sithole
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