By Kuchineyi Lewis
TelOne FC head coach Herbert Marowa expressed empathy for Dynamos FC following a narrow but impactful 1-0 home victory at Ascot Stadium on Saturday further compounding Dembare’s recent struggles.
Marowa, whose side has been struggling to grind results in front of their home crowd put up a spirited performance to turn their fortunes around and collect maximum points and a jump to position three on the log table.
He said, “I hope they survive — but not against us. I wish them to survive somewhere else,” he said in a sympathetic tone.
Having previously coached Dynamos, Marowa’s remarks carried added weight considering his eminent title challenge and his warm feelings for his former paymasters.
While Marowa’s side celebrated a vital three points in their quest for silverware this season, the Dynamos coach, Saul Chaminuka, emphasized that the scoreline did not reflect his side’s control and dominance throughout the match.
“I think we had better scoring opportunities. We almost controlled the whole of the first half,” he said
“It’s painful,” Chaminuka admitted post-match. “You play a game where you’re in control from the beginning, and yet you come out with nothing. TelOne had one opportunity and they scored — and that’s football.”
Indeed, the visitors started aggressively, with Agyemang letting fly from range just a minute in. Dynamos threatened from set-pieces early on, but TelOne’s backline and goalkeeper stood firm.
A heart-stopping moment came in the 14th minute when Dynamos broke through on goal, only to be denied by a brilliant clearance from Prince Milanzi.
While Dynamos’ attack continued to misfire, Nigel Makumbe and Washington Navaya connected beautifully in the 18th minute, but the header was comfortably saved.
By the 30th minute, Dynamos had squandered three chances in five minutes, and the halftime whistle came with the game deadlocked at 0-0.
The breakthrough came in the 56th minute. Milanzi delivered a pin-point cross, and this time, Navaya made no mistake, rising to head home past a rooted Dynamos goalkeeper.
It was a goal born of persistence, and one that ultimately separated the two sides.
Dynamos, struggling to create in the second half, made substitutions but failed to turn the tide. As the final whistle blew, it was TelOne who walked away with a crucial win.
For Chaminuka, however, joy was tempered by concern over his side’s persistent attacking inefficiency.
“We are looking for strikers, yes, but sometimes it’s not just about hitting the ball. It’s about making the right choice, the final pass. Our training should be giving us better results,” he said.
Because of the loss, Dynamos remains locked in a survival battle. “We have 14 games left — that’s 42 points,” Marowa noted. “We can survive. One or two wins, and you’re out of the bottom and back in the fight.”
TelOne’s head coach, Hebert Marowa, also struck a buoyant tone, calling the result a statement of intent in the title race. “After this win, we are now challenging for the championship,” he declared. “Beating one of the biggest clubs in Zimbabwe, it was a must-win for me.”
