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9 Mighty Bulls dumps Dynamos out of Sup8r, Zimbabwe's richest soccer cup

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31 Jul 2011 at 07:21hrs | Views
Dynamos  0 - 0 Motor Action
(Motor Action win 8-7 on penalties)
MOTOR ACTION ended the day with nine men on the park but still had enough in their tank to power into the BancABC Sup8r final at Rufaro yesterday.

The Mighty Bulls had forwards Kuda Musharu and Tawanda Nyamandwe sent off by referee Ronald Mwanjira but held their nerve in the penalty shootout with Dynamos goalkeeper Washington Arubi's miss, in sudden death, handing them passage into the final.

The script appeared to be taking a familiar turn for Motor Action when Passmore Bernard missed their first penalty but conversions from Themba Ndhlovu, Isaac Masame, Ocean Mushure, Eddie Chitato, Gift Phiri, Reuben Machaya and Marlon Jani put them right back into it.

On the flip side Thomas Magorimbo and Guthrie Zhokinyi had their penalties saved by Jani while Timire Mamvura, George Magariro, Rodrick Mutuma, Murape Murape, Farai Vimisayi and Augustine Mbara found the target.

Zhokinyi, who twice missed from the penalty spot during the Uhuru Cup final, could have won it for DeMbare in sudden death after Allan Gahadzikwa had shot tamely into the hands of Arubi but the Dynamos defender spurned the chance.

With Jani converting his effort, the onus was now on Arubi to keep Dynamos in the game but the gloveman, who struggled with a knee injury, dragged his effort wide to trigger wild celebrations in a Mighty Bulls camp that felt hard done by Mwanjira all afternoon.

"God is for everyone," declared Motor Action coach Joey "Mafero" Antipas after watching his charges, who bowed out of the CAF Champions League after losing to Asec Mimosas on penalties, get due reward for a workaholic performance.

The Mighty Bulls were all over Dynamos from kick-off, Nyamandwe going inches wide with a snap shot on six minutes before Arubi reacted swiftly to save the situation after a Zhokinyi miscue had sent Masimba Mambare through.

DeMbare were at best a confused lot during the early exchanges and Vimbai Gibson Madamombe, who was hauled off for Mamvura on 30 minutes, has every reason to feel aggrieved after being hounded out of the game by the club's demanding fans when just about everyone in a blue shirt was appalling.

Farai Vimisayi rattled the crossbar with a zipping free kick as the defending champions sought to impose themselves after the introduction of Mamvura while at the other end Chitato had his header canoning off the upright before drawing a good save out of Arubi with a rising shot.

Goalless at half-time and Lloyd Mutasa was the happier of the two coaches. And it all looked to be swinging in Dynamos' favour in the second half when Musharu was shown his second red card in as many matches for taking the legs off a surging Vimisayi.

Musharu was also sent off in his team's league clash against Masvingo United a fortnight ago.

In a bid to maximise on their numerical advantage, Mutasa introduced Desmond Maringwa for a subdued Tawanda Muparati but the veteran midfielder lasted only 10 minutes on the park, hobbling off with a pulled muscle.

Motor Action were down to nine men on 85 minutes, Nyamandwe getting a straight red card for elbowing Murape in an off the ball incident.

The Mighty Bulls resorted to every trick in the book to hold on until the final whistle before it all came together for them in the penalty lottery.

"The officiating was a circus but it feels good to be in the final. I believe the decision to send off Musharu was a bit harsh as at best it should have been a yellow card but such things happen when a referee appears to be working under instructions," said Antipas.

Teams
Dynamos: W. Arubi, G. Magariro, G. Zhokinyi, A. Mbara, G. Madamombe (T. Mamvura, 30mins), T. Muparati (D. Maringwa, 63mins, N. Ziwini, 75mins), M. Murape, F. Vimisayi, R. Mutuma.

Motor Action: M. Jani, R. Machaya, T. Ndhlovu, P. Bernard, I. Masame, O. Mushure, T. Nyamandwe, K. Musharu, E. Chitato, A. Gahadzikwa, M. Mambare (G. Phiri, 78mins).

Source - Zimpapers