Dembare beat 10 men Harare City

Harare City 1 - 3Dynamos
Dynamos have been stealthily moving towards the top of the log and for the first time this season, the Harare giants shot to the summit of the Castle Lager Premiership after recording a comfortable victory over ten men Harare City at Rufaro yesterday.

Harare City had won the first meeting between the two sides when Quinton Masika struck in the 88th minute but Ocean Mushure gave Dynamos the three points in the reverse fixture last year, while their clash in the first half of this season had ended in a goalless draw.

The game yesterday was not as exhilarating as the previous encounters but it covered up by the handful of goals and a red card to Harare City defender Crispen Dickson.

Dynamos showed that they meant business when Ugandan international Boban Ziruntusa struck his first league goal for DeMbare after heading home the opener in the fourth minute.

Winger Cliff Sekete sent a high ball into the box and Zituntusa, who was unmarked, placed the ball past Muzondiwa Gonese when some fans had barely taken their seats and some players had barely had a feel of the match ball.

That early goal gave Dynamos the confidence to venture into the Harare City box as the Sunshine Boys were forced to chase the game early in the match and DeMbare increased the lead five minutes into the second half when Russell Madamombe drilled the ball home to stretch the lead.

Sekeke created space on the right flank and then whipped a high ball that Tawanda Muparati headed into the path of Madamombe to convert soon after the break.

Harare City coach Bigboy Mawiwi then introduced the speedy Martin Vengesayi for Edgar Tapera while Phineas Bamusi made room for William Munondo in the 54th minute as Dynamos pulled out Washington Pakamisa, who was missing for fun.

There was a brief moment of life for Harare City in the 71st minute when Osborne Mukuradare connected a cross from Vengesayi and suddenly the match was now on a cliffhanger as City were now fired up and threatening to draw level.

However, Harare City were their worst enemies in their comeback bid when defender Dickson earned a straight red for elbowing Clive Kawinga in an off-the-ball incident in the 73rd minute.

Referee Ruzive Ruzive missed the incident but after consulting with his second assistant he ejected Dickson from the match, further denting the little hopes of a fightback by Harare City.

Madamombe thought he had struck a brace when he beat Gonese after an assist from Sydney Linyama but Ruzive ruled the effort out for off-side but there was no denying Dynamos their biggest victory in the top of the table clash when Kawinga robbed James Jam inside the box to riffle home in the 89th minute.

For his folly celebration of removing his shirt, Kawinga earned a yellow card and his coach Pasuwa was not amused.

The win pushed Dynamos to the top of the log for the first time this season because of a superior goal difference over Harare City, who were at the apex before the Round 20 matches.

Harare City had their moments in the game with Nathan Ziwini and Silas Songani causing anxious moments for Dynamos and will probably look back at the red card as the turning point.

And in what is becoming a sickening trend, a Dynamos fan threw a bottle of urine at Mawiwi towards the end of the second half.

Teams:

Harare City: M. Gonese, J. Madora, E. Tapera (M. Vengesayi 54th min), W. Nyamutsaka, D. Crispen, W. Manondo ((P. Bamusi 54th min), J. Jam, O. Mukuradare (C. Muvuti 76th min),N. Ziwini, S. Songani, T. Chiworeso

Dynamos: G. Chigova, O. Machapa, O. Mushure (S. Linyama 77th min), G. Bello. P. Jaure, C. Sekete (F. Mupasiri 85th min), B. Ziruntusa, W. Pakamisa, R. Madamombe, T. Muparati, T.Magorimbo (C. Kawinga 60th min)