MABLANYO BLAMES DEFENCE

Eddie Chikamhi, Senior Sports Reporter

Dynamos…………………………………………………. 0

Chicken Inn…………………………………………… 0 (1)

DYNAMOS caretaker coach Lloyd Chigowe yesterday said his side paid dearly for their defensive lapse after losing a rescheduled Castle Lager Premiership match against Chicken Inn at Rufaro.

The Glamour Boys fell to a 71st minute freekick by defender Xolani Ndlovu.

And has become the trend lately, Dynamos are conceding in the last 20 minutes of the game, and the goals are coming from set-pieces, something that has left the coach a worried man.

“It was an evenly balanced match. I think both sides played well but Chicken Inn took their chance and they got the three points,” said Chigowe.

DeMbare have conceded three of their last four goals from set pieces, beginning in Botswana where they lost the decisive CAF Confederation Cup match against Orapa United after failing to defend from a late freekick.

The same situation haunted them last week when they gave away a first half lead to lose the Harare Derby 1-2 to bitter rivals CAPS United after conceding an 86th minute goal that was nodded home from a freekick. Dynamos deserved at least a point from their performance yesterday but their defensive frailties from dead ball situations were exposed yet again when Chicken Inn skipper Ndlovu took a low shot that found a gaping on the wall and beat goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa.

“It’s clear we defended poorly from that freekick,” said Chigowe.

“It’s unfortunate the goals are coming in different forms. The other time it is headed goals and this time it’s a direct goal.

“The direct goal took us by surprise because we worked on it.

“When it’s a freekick you must put a wall and the wall must block the ball.

“But if the wall opens up then that’s a basic error. Unfortunately, we have to go back again and work with the guys to make sure that we don’t continue conceding from set-pieces,” said Chigowe.

Dynamos remained ninth on the log standings with 38 points while Chicken Inn moved one place up to sixth on 42 points.

Their coach Joey Antoipas was excited by the win although the match did not have substantial consequences on the log standings, as they push for a top four finish.

“Thought it was a good win, we played a solid game and in the first half I thought we should have been at least two-nil up.”

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