Castle delight for DeMbare

By Henry Mhara | 7h ago

DeMbare

Simba Bhora . . . . . . . . (0) 1

Dynamos . . . . . . . . . (0) 1

(Dynamos won 5-3 in a penalty shootout)

Dynamos coach Lloyd Chigowe hailed the character and endurance of his team after they beat Simba Bhora on penalties to win the Castle Challenge Cup on a rain-soaked Rufaro Stadium yesterday.

Ishe Mauchi's 48th minute header looked to be enough for the defending champions to lift the trophy, but an 87th minute equaliser from Clive Mandivei took the game to extra time and eventually to penalty kicks.

Dynamos keeper Prince Tafiremutsa saved Ishamel Nyanhi's spot kick in the shootout to ensure that Chigowe's men get the trophy.

Substitute Abel Gwatidzo hit the winning spot kick to make sure that the Harare giants lift their first ever Castle Lager Challenge Cup, which is played as the season curtain raiser.

The season proper starts next week.

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Temptation Chiwunga, Emmanuel Jalai, Donald Dzvinyai, Mandivei were the other Dynamos players who successfully converted their penalty kicks.

For Simba Bhora, Blessing Moyo, Harrison Masina and Never Tigere converted before Nyanhi buckled under the weight of expectations.

The game provided an interesting look into how prepared the two teams are for the season ahead, and Chigowe believes his newly assembled team is ready.

"In any game of football you play, you always want to be a winner," Chigowe said.

"It's a good start for us and let's hope we maintain the same momentum throughout the season. When you play for Dynamos you must be made of steel and I think the mentality will come right as it proved to be coming right today."

Simba Bhora coach Joel Luphahla, who was Chigowe's assistant last season, was also impressed with his side's performance despite them dropping the ball right at the finishing line.

"Penalties can go either way, unfortunately today it didn't go our side. But basically I'm very happy with what I saw from my boys. Its the first game of the new season, the legs are still heavy from the preseason but from we saw, we can build from this game going forward. I'm happy that we have had this game which help us prepare going forward. It's always painful to lose a cup final. We would have wanted to win it but we didn't. Still I'm taking pride from my players performance, knowing that we are going to do better in the next game."

Dynamos, who had Valentine Kadonzvo missing a penalty in 62nd minute, was handed a trophy and a $30 000 cheque for winning the match while the runners-up received a $20 000 consolation.

Both teams paraded their new signings and Chigowe and his counterpart Luphahla must certainly be encouraged with what they saw ahead of the new season.

Dynamos had three new faces in their starting luneup including Mandivei who was calm at the back, young Blessing Dziwo who was promoted from the junior team and Ghanaian Frank Agyemang.

The West African, eager to impress after his well publicized move to Harare, gave a very promising glimpse into what fans can expect from him this season.

For Simba, they had new seven faces in their starting line up while three more new players came off the bench.

Donald Mudadi and Emmanuel Ziocha faced their former side for the first time, but both had an underwhelming afternoon.

Goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga, who was signed from CAPS United was outstanding, denying Elton Chikona, Agyemang and Valentine Kadonzvo from one-on-one situations to keep his side into the game at halftime.

Simba Bhora had their chances in the second half. After Mauchi's header to open the scoring, substitute Tigere almost put the game to bed with a thunderous freekick from range, but the shot was turned behind the post by an alert Tafiremutsa.

At the other end, Chikona hit the cross bar with a volley on 68th minute as Dynamos searched for an equaliser.

When it looked like Simba Bhora had done enough to repel the Dynamos raids, Mandivei latched into a Donald Dzvinyai's pass from a freekick to bundle home the equaliser.

Chikona then headed just wide deep into injury time, before William Manondo thought he had won it for Simba with the last kick of the match in regulation time, but his effort was ruled out for an offside.

Teams

Simba Bhora: T Mateyaunga, W Tafa, I Mauchi, T Mavhunga (H Masina, 109'), B Moyo, I Nyanhi, B Ncube (L Chakoroma, 85'), B Ndereki, E Ziocha (W Manondo, 62'), D Mudadi (N Tigere, 61'), G Isakar (J Makunike, 75').

Dynamos: P Tafiremutsa, E Jalai, N Chinyerere, C Mandivei, D Dzvinyai, S Nyahwa (T Pio, 82'), E Chikona, B Dziwo (A Mandinyenya, 51' A Gwatidzo, 110'), F Agyemang (J Perezo, 75'), T Chiwunga, V Kadonzvo (B Jerimani, 75')