Dalny derby delight

By Lovemore Chazingwa recently in Chakari

It was a football fiesta to savour in the gold mining settlement of Chakari as Dalny Mine Stadium played host to emerging fierce rivalries in the Division One Northern Region Soccer League (NRSL) competition.

A considerable number of players involved in both matches have at some stage played together before.

Dalny derby delight was last Sunday illuminated at the venue that has become home to four local outfits.

Football clubs, Cam and Motor, Come Again, CUMA, and Golden Valley all share the same home ground.

It was a real delight never to miss as newcomers Come Again and CUMA Academy showed that they are no pushovers in their maiden dance in the league.

The matchday fixtures kicked off with a duel between Martinfield Spinners run Come Again FC and Chegutu Municipality owned Pirates. The latter seasoned campaigners were determined to carry from where they left in the previous season. They used to play home matches at this venue after a hard hand by the league administrators condemned them to kick the ball home away from home due to their madding fans.

Tawanda Mtopa propelled Pirates into the lead after scoring a 21st-minute whistler.

The raiders, read pirates, coach Richard Chunga were happy with this away win.

On the other end Mombe Mumunda, as Come Again are affectionately called, forgot to score again since they ‘respected Dzinza too much’. For all intent and purpose, their challenge was felt, especially, in the second half when they crawled back into contention. Patently, the D1 NRSL newsboys had a big chunk of respect for the perennial campaigners.

“We respected them too much. We got into the game a bit late and we’re unfortunate to concede that goal from a defensive blunder,” said coach Wonder Ngoko post-match.

The youthful coach kept his composure throughout the proceedings.

Against the run of play, frustration crept in, hence, panic could be detected in the visitors’ game. The Pirates bench was cautioned by referee Israel Nhevera for protesting decisions. The experienced man in the middle had a good day in the office for a derby of this nature. Their goalie Mandla Hove had to apply delaying tactics to frustrate marauding Come Again strikers’ rhythm. Nonetheless, the cloth manufacturers continued threatening to score. Under those raids goalkeeper, Hove received more summons to action than Nyasha Mafunga, his opposite number.

Mombe Mumunda still failed to taste the inside of the net. It ended 0 – 1 in favour of the visitors who were very much relieved, judging by the way they celebrated.

The second of the doubleheader fixtures pitted youthful sides CUMA Academy FC against Mhondoro-Ngezi based Ngezi Platinum Under 19 FC. This was the epitome of a dazzling Dalny derby day. A one-all result can arguably be considered a fair outcome for what transpired on the field of play.

The first half belonged to visitors Ngezi who took charge from the first whistle. The match was fast-paced and crude tackles sent the message of how tense the duel was. Defender Alfred Mawuti, had on more than two occasions, to be brought to the touchline after suffering knocks on the head from hard collisions.

There were long stoppages while medics attended to injured players. In the first half, Ngezi created chance after chance, and Godknows Gurure was equal to the task. Platinum had to wait until stoppage time to draw first blood through a Tinotenda Musariranwa strike. CUMA Academy went to halftime a goal down.

The second segment told a different story. Instead of the platinum miners continuing from where they left, CUMA Academy grabbed the gauntlet and were the ones firing from all angles. It was as if they had reserved the best for the second half. The Rimuka based side were gifted respite finem within the first fifteen minutes of that half. The referee rightly awarded CUMA a 56th-minute penalty. Godknows did justice to the faith bestowed in him by coach Gipta Raiva. He breached his opposite number, Prince Mujuru, with an intelligent grounder that levelled the scoreline. The scored board registered CUMA Academy FC 1 – 1 Ngezi Platinum U19 FC at that moment.

Now, it was like we were back to square one for the winner to emerge.

Of the two goalminders, Mujuru was summoned to action more than his opposite number Gurure.

Nonetheless, young Madamburo raided the Academy penalty area forcing three-block saves by Gurure, defenders Mawuti and Martin Mwanza had to clear close efforts while another effort hit the right upright post.

CUMA where not finished. They continued to deliver some footballing lessons to the miners.

Frustration, fancy footwork, crude tackles, anxious coaches, and the frenzied twelfth player vociferously urging their teams on became the order of the day.

“The boys are coming out of their shells,” is how Ngezi coach Kifton ‘KK’ Kadulira aptly summed up the match.
No one team was prepared to go back empty-handed.

Both sets of matches witnessed arguments over the supposed number of substitutes to be used. Some teams preferred three while the others gunned for five.