A solitary strike from hard running Benjamin Marere was all DeMbare needed to subdue their much fancied opponents before advancing to the third round of Africa’s most prestigious and lucrative league. DeMbare won the match 2-0 on aggregate.
Earlier on in the first leg in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, Dynamos had edged the then visitors 1-0 courtesy of a Desmond Maringwa strike in the second half.
While almost all nations from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region had ruled Dynamos out of contention, especially when playing away from home, DeMbare just struck to silence the critics.
The victory in Tunisia has also revealed to the outside world that despite some socio-economic and political challenges Zimbabwe is going through, football is taking some strides in terms of development.
The only goal of the day by Marere silenced the capacity crowd of an estimated 20,000 that had come to witness Dynamos being butchered, but that was never to be as the Zimbabweans maintained their composure, discipline and tactics to achieve the desired results.
Though the new look Dynamos is composed of young players with no international experience, Saturday’s victory sent shivers down spines of most African soccer clubs, particularly teams from Egypt, Morocco and Sudan.
Dynamos will know their next opponents on 15 May when the CAF conducts its draw for the third round. – CAJ News.
 Chapungu stay top of the log
HARARE – Chapungu United maintained their superb form when they beat hosts Shooting Stars 2-1 to remain on premiership pole position.
The tightly contested premiership match was played at Gwanzura Stadium on May 9 in Harare, where a sizeable crowd attended the encounter.
Two strikes from Maxwell “MaRhino” Dube and Francis Kanda were enough to see the visiting Air Force of Zimbabwe’s premiership side collect three valuable points from Harare’s fading Shooting Stars.
Shooting Stars pulled one back through former Masvingo United midfielder Elliot Matsika, who capitalised on a defensive lapse by Chapungu defenders to rifle home from close range.
Chapungu, commonly known as Mutsvairo in Zimbabwean football circles, continued to dominate the premier soccer league whilst premiership debutantes, Kiglon are chasing on second position.
But it was veteran midfielder-cum-striker, Dube, who unleashed a thunderbolt from his trademark free-kick that beat hands down the Harare side’s goalkeeper for Chapungu to take an early lead.
However, Shooting Stars did not lose confidence as they came back, attacking from all angles, and were rewarded in the second half when Matsika scored an equaliser.
With only eight minutes before regulation time, Chapungu hit again, this time through Kanda, who outpaced the hosts’ defence and rifled home. – CAJ News
Highlanders CAF hopes put on hold
HARARE – The Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s Confederations sponsored encounter between Zimbabwe’s Highlanders and the hosts El-Merreikh of Sudan was called off at the last minute following a curfew declared in the war torn North African nation on Saturday.
Reports from Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, stated the second leg of the third round of the Confederation’s tournament was stopped when Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels exchanged live gunfire with government troops in the war ravaged region of Darfur on Friday night.
The Sudanese football giants beat Highlanders at Gwanzura Stadium, Zimbabwe a fortnight ago. – CAJ News
 Murambadoro heading south?
JOHANNESBURG – Warriors’ goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro appears to be heading to South Africa where he has reportedly agreed terms with Bidvest Wits.
The big Gokwe-born goal minder was on trial in recent weeks and word from the Wits camp is that he impressed head coach Roger de Sa.
The Students, as Wits are otherwise known, are in search of a goalkeeper to provide cover for off-form Moneeb Josephs, who appears to be resting on his laurels, as he has no serious challenger to the No.1 jersey.
He appears Murambadoro’s exploits in a recent friendly international against South Africa, which earned him the praise of former Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Pareirra, did not go unnoticed.
De Sa nonetheless, refutes reports that Wits have netted the Caps United keeper and former Zimbabwe Player of the Year.
“He is a good goalkeeper and it would be great to have him. I can tell you that much but nothing has happened yet. His agent gave us a proposal and that is how far things got,” the Wits coach said.- CAJ News
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