HARARE - Dynamos recorded another psychological victory over their arch rivals Highlanders to lift the Bob 90 Cup in a match of fluctuating tempers on Sunday at Rufaro Stadium.
A fortuitous goal from Masimba Mambare and Ronald Chitiyo’s second half drive inspired confidence into Dynamos’ ambitions of sweeping all before them this season.
Under fire coach Calisto Pasuwa, however, remained humble in victory and refused to read too much into the result ahead of the 2014 Premier League season that commences next week.
“Like I have been saying, we have been playing in the Champions League and in terms of conditioning we are way above Highlanders,” he said.
“So we wouldn’t want to gauge much from the performance of Highlanders.
“But we are very impressed with the result.
“They were hungry in terms of looking for the ball. And we were compact in the middle of the field going forward and in terms of aggression we were on top.”
Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu conceded his side failed to break Dynamos and urged his players to bounce back from the defeat.
Highlanders threatened early through Charles Sibanda’s header and Kuda Mahachi’s tame effort.
Dynamos would claw their way back into the game when Clive Kawinga set up Masimba Mambare but Mambare’s rising shot from a tight angle hit the side net.
Kawinga continued to be a menace for the Highlanders back line.
And he seemed to have set himself on goal when he skilfully beat Innocent Mapuranga before being tagged from behind by Felix Chindungwe. But referee Brighton Chimene saw it otherwise and penalised Kawinga for diving, giving him a yellow card in the process.
Dynamos would surge ahead in the most fortuitous of circumstances when Mambare intercepted Chindungwe’s pass across the face of goal before slotting home past an on rushing Munyaradzi Diya.
Kawinga would have one last attempt to put his name on the score sheet when he got to the end of Chitiyo’s through pass but his strike on the volley was always rising.
Dynamos were soon in the driver’s seat two minutes into the second half when Chitiyo’s long range drive took a wicked deflection and nestled underneath the upright.
The Glamour Boys kept their foot on the accelerator, creating chances through Walter Mukanga’s 49th minute strike shortly before Farai Mupasiri emerged second best from a one on one with Diya.
Dynamos felt they had gone three up on the hour mark when Chitiyo got to the end of a speculative through ball from deep inside the midfield before cleverly rounding off Diya.
But second assistant referee incorrectly waived for offside.
Two minutes later, centre referee Chimene would again flatter to deceive, this time waving play on when Partson Jaure clearly brought down Eric Mudzingwa inside the penalty box.
Mahachi should have done better but failed to keep his header on target after getting to the end of Mthulisi Maphosa’s cross.
Teams
Dynamos: George Chigova, Partson Jaure, Sydney Linyama, Oscar Machapa (Cliff Sekete, 70min), Masimba Mambare, Ronald Chitiyo, Walter Mukanga, Thomas Magorimbo, Ocean Mushure, Stephen Alimenda, Clive Kawinga ( Farai Mupasiri, 46min).
Highlanders: Munyaradzi Diya, Charles Sibanda, Kuda Mahachi, Peter Moyo (Welcome Ndiweni, 54min), Felix Chindungwe, Innocent Mapuranga, Mthulisi Maphosa, Milton Ncube (Ozias Sibanda, 69 min), Bruce Kangwa, Eric Mudzingwa, Valentine Ndaba (Gabriel Nyoni, 51min).