Poor officiating earns Dembare a point

Shabanie Mine 0-0 Dynamos
CALLISTO Pasuwa collected a point from Maglas Stadium yesterday in a match his strikers were either misfiring or simply failing to beat Shabanie Mine substitute goalkeeper London Zulu.

The match was also marred by poor officiating by Gweru-based referee Thomas Massa who stole the limelight for the wrong reasons that left a number of fans and officials shaking their heads.

Dynamos players were handling the ball but Massa seemed to ignore such offences and most fouls they committed went unpunished in a match Stephen Alimenda shone like a beacon.

"I do not normally complain about referees but the truth is some of them are killing football. Every time we attacked the referee defended for Dynamos by stopping play.

"When Dynamos was attacking with our player injured he waved play on. I am satisfied with the result as I feel it was the fairest. Dynamos dominated the first half and we dominated the second half but the greatest thing was both sets of fans enjoyed football," said Phiri.

Goalkeeper Victor Twaliki had to be stretchered off the pitch after he collided with Tafadzwa Rusike in the 25th minute. He was bleeding through the nose and mouth. Some of his teeth were shaking and one of his eyes failing to open.

Simba Sithole could have put Dynamos in the lead in the 65th minute when he out-jumped the static Shabanie defence to meet a Tichaona Mabvura cross from the left only to see his effort saved by Zulu.

Dynamos' best chance of collecting maximum points came in the 86th minute. Substitute Ronald "Rooney" Chitiyo won the ball in the middle of the park and threaded a pass to Blessing Moyo on the right. Moyo responded with a right footer on the edge of the box but the former ZPC Hwange goalkeeper Zulu saved his effort much to the relief of the Shabanie Mine fans.

Shabanie will however feel hard done by first assistant referee Allan Parehwa who raised his flag after Daniel Chakupa had put the ball in the back of the nets.

Pasuwa was a relieved man after the match.

"We are improving because we got a point after losing two games in a row. I am however worried with my strikers. We dominated the first 45 minutes but we lacked the technique to score. In terms of defending we have improved but we need to go back to the drawing board," he said.

Roderick Mutuma watched the match from the sidelines as he is yet to be cleared by the PSL to join Dynamos as a free agent.

Shabanie who missed Talbott Mthombeni struggled upfront as Carlos Messi was just a passenger with David Chakupa failing to justify his inclusion as he was late on the ball and his body language suggested he was not match fit.

George Chigova was not tested in the first half as the Shabanie strikers were kept at bay save for Allan Tavariswa who threatened. Most of the miners' players seemed overwhelmed by playing the defending champions.

Teams:
Shabanie Mine: V Twaliki (L Zulu 25th minute), G Murwira, N Merson, S Muchabayiwa, R Mware, D Sibanda, Z Bizeki, L Matawu, D Chakupa (H Muvundi 61st minute), A Tavarwisa, C Messi (A Mukwena 77th minute)

Dynamos: G Chigova, B Moyo, O Mushure, P Jaure, S Alimenda, D Chafa (S Linyama 84th minute), T Ndlovu, S Ndlovu, C Sekete (P Kumbula 61st minute), T Rusike (R Chitiyo 77th minute), S Sithole