The Sunday Mail
AT the end of it all the team in blue was in seventh heaven.
The one in white drowned themselves in an ocean of tears as their souls endured the pain of being sent to a place where the sun doesn’t shine.
In the stands, there were thousands dressed in blue.
However, they weren’t part of the blue party that was exploding on the National Sports Stadium turf because their team, the one they call Chazunguza because it has a history of destroying everything in its way, had come to battle in white — and got beaten.
In the stands too, there was a marriage of convenience.
Supporters, who were predominately dressed in red, forged an alliance with those waving some green and white flags.
ZPC Kariba supporters found their Caps United counterparts too charming.
It was a beautiful sight, depending on one’s standpoint.
Oh football, this beautiful game, always full of twists and turns.
ZPC Kariba coach, Saul Chaminuka, made an effort to hug each one of his heroes.
“We are almost there, makaipa vapfanha vangu,” he said in a voice so different to the fine-tuned one he presents during the post match interviews.
Dynamos coach Kallisto Pasuwa tarried, his boys did too.
Where would they go from here?
Roderick Mutuma covered himself in that famed Dynamos shirt and cried his heart out, young goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva looked bemused as did several other DeMbare players.
The tale could have been different, however.
A couple of minutes before Limited Chikafa headed home the goal that took ZPC Kariba onto the doorstep of greatness, Tonderai Mateyaunga pulled a magnificent save.
If that Simba Sithole header had gone in DeMbare would have led 2-1 and with the backing of thousands would have been fancied to go on to claim a fourth consecutive league title.
It looked a certain goal as Mateyaunga had so much ground to cover.
However, the goalkeeper kept his side in the game as he acrobatically palmed the ball away when the Dynamos striker looked ready to wheel away in celebration.
“That’s probably the best save I have ever made,” the goalkeeper, who only guarded goal because first choice glove man Tendai Hove is injured, said after the match.
“Credit goes to our goalkeepers coach Tembo Chuma for teaching us that it’s only a goal when the ball has crossed the line, before that anything is possible.
“You know goalkeepers sometimes do not make an effort to save some well placed shots because they would have told themselves that the ball is beyond them but for us we believe in doing whatever it takes to avoid conceding.”
For Chikafa, yesterday’s win all but confirmed his side as the league champions.
“Surely we can’t blow it from here,” he declared.
“We just need a draw against Caps United but we won’t play for a draw. We are fighters and will fight for a win.”
Chaminuka has some real troopers.
Dennis Dauda was solid as solid can be, Tawanda Munyanduri fought for everything and won most while Pride Tafirenyika was unplayable.
From the white corner, Masimba Mambare brought some spark but he fizzled out as the effects of a lengthy injury induced lay off took their toll.
Ronald Chitiyo was anonymous, Ocean Mushure not bad but not good enough for such a game, Simba Sithole grafted his socks off but when a striker doesn’t score, the job is not complete.
Mutuma, who came in for injured goal scorer, Anesu Gondo, never made an impact while Blessing Moyo was horrible.
The cross which made ZPC’s second goal came from Moyo’s flank and only the DeMbare rightback can explain where he was when all that took place.
Electricity is dangerous.
Especially, if its being transmitted from Kariba.
Dynamos know it now and its impossible to forget.
