Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Caps United . . . . . . . (0) 2
CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe launched an astonishing verbal attack on the Warriors coach Michael Nees, calling the German national a clown.
Chitembwe accused Nees of blocking his captain Godknows Murwira from featuring in yesterday's Harare derby, in a game Caps United came from a goal down at halftime to stun city rivals Dynamos in a thriller at Rufaro Stadium.
Valentine Kadonzvo fired through the legs of Caps United goalkeeper Ashley Reyners to give Dynamos a 39th lead but second half goals from substitute and former DeMbare player Jayden Bakare in the 71st minute and Rodwell Chinyengetere's flashing header 10 minutes later completed a stunning comeback for the Green Machine.
This comeback obviously is not of the 3-2 proportion, which they mounted against Highlanders at the same venue a few weeks back, but will rank as one of the best and one of the sweetest for Caps United.
Instead of revelling in the sweet victory, Chitembwe chose the post-match Press conference to attack Nees for withdrawing Murwira from the match.
The defender was part of a group of locally-based Warriors players who flew out to South Africa for the back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Namibia scheduled for Johannesburg this week.
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Dynamos also missed their captain Emmanuel Jalai for the same reason, although goalkeeper Martin Mapisa was allowed to feature for the Glamour Boys despite being in the Warriors squad.
Chitembwe felt that the locally-based players should have all been allowed to play their matches this weekend, just like all their European-based counterparts.
All foreign-based stars were allowed to feature for their clubs, including Marshal Munetsi who played for Reims in France last night.
The Warriors captain, who scored the team's opener at home against Montpellier, was expected to fly out to South Africa immediately after the match to join up with the rest of the squad today.
Chitembwe was not happy with the different treatments the players got. He claimed locally-based players were threatened they would be overlooked for future national team assignments if they had missed yesterday's flight.
"The major talking point for me today was the unavailability of Godknows Murwira. I am extremely disappointed. I am one kind of person who speaks his mind. I don't mind what people think of what I say, but I'm extremely disappointed with what happened with Godknows. He is an important player, he is our captain for that matter. We need him in important matches like this one, but if some clown somewhere think he can make decisions on behalf of a team that I coach, it's very unfortunate. I'm one kind of a person who does not like to [be bullied]. It appears we are 50 years backward. It appears we have been colonised in football terms. I'm not happy about it. If someone thinks he has a monopoly of ideas, then it is unfortunate. Not with me in particular, I don't like that and I will say it in public. Whoever interprets it differently that will be unfortunate but I'm just unhappy about it," Chitembwe said.
He continued: “Andre Onana [Manchester United goalkeeper], his team Cameroon are also participating in the competition that Zimbabwe are participating in, but he played today [yesterday]. Khama Billiat, Jordan Zemura, they all played yesterday [Saturday] and then someone comes in and thinks he wants to change the way we think. This is not the first time that the national team has participated in these competitions. What irked me the most is the fact that when Jairosi Tapera was still in charge, PSL refused to release the players. They had the right to do that because it was within the rules. But in this case, the difference is probably the skin colour. They tend to listen more to a murungu [white person] more than a fellow African. It's very unfortunate. We don't need that in football. We don't want someone who comes in and thinks that he is bigger than everyone else. I respect coaches, I have participated at that level as a coach and as a player so I don't need anything. But if people are to abuse their positions simply because they are in authority, it's unfortunate.
"What is more embarrassing is the fact that they went on threatening players that if you don't listen to this call-up then we will not consider you for future assignments. What is that? This is clowning. People are grandstanding, they want cheap mileage. It's unheard of. If it were [Jose] Mourinho, I would understand, (because) he has won something. But this, honestly guys let's be serious," Chitembwe said before walking out of the Press conference room without commending on yesterday's match.
Dynamos coach Lloyd Chigowe described the defeat as painful.
It was the manner that his team collapsed in the second half after dominating the first stanza, which was even more painful for the caretaker coach.
Dynamos swarmed Caps United from the first whistle as they tried to stamp their authority early on.
Issa Sadiki was a real handful and created the best moments early on. His first effort, a shot from distance went straight to Caps United keeper Reyners before two more attempts were deflected over.
Shadreck Nyahwa's free header also went straight at Reyners who had to pull a spectacular one hand save to deny Emmanuel Ziocha.
But there was nothing Reyners could do when Dynamos came back moments later.
From a counter attack, Shandirwa won possession deep in the Dembare half and fed Ziocha to thread a through pass to Kadonzvo. The winger did justice to the exquisitely well weighted pass and fired home through the legs of Reyners.
It took Caps United a while to show what they can do in terms of their attacking potent.
Most of their chances were coming from freekicks around the Dynamos penalty area but could not take full advantage as the home side took a deserved lead to the break.
As expected, Caps United started the second half on the front foot, but it was Dynamos who almost increased their lead.
Ziocha, playing as a false nine, opened wide the Caps United backline with a defence splitting pass for Mudadi to run clean through but the midfielder shot straight at Reyners.
At the other end, Chapusha's deflected shot went just wide for a corner, and from the resultant kick, Bruno Kadamanja headed wide.
It was a warning that Dynamos should have heeded. They didn't.
There was more energy in the way Caps United played and continued to create the better chances.
After William Manondo's overhead kick went just wide, Chitembwe's men eventually got the equaliser that their play deserved. But with a bit of some fortune.
A Chinyengetere's cross was touched by both Jayden Bakari and defender Dzvinyai to wrongfoot Mapisa who watched helplessly as the ball trickled into an empty net.
Ten minutes later, Caps United completed the comeback when Chinyengetere glanced his header past Mapisa, off an Eric Manokore freekick.
Dynamos had a penalty shout turned down by referee Lawrence Zimhondi when Emmanuel Paga's shot appeared to hit a defender's hand.
Supporters reacted by throwing missiles onto the pitch, causing a brief stoppage to the match.
Substitute Diego Musiiwa had a shot saved by Reyners as Dynamos launched a late onslaught but Caps United managed to hold on for the famous win, their first over Dynamos since 2019.
