Dynamos 0-0 Interclube
VISITING Angolan side Interclube held an uninspiring Dynamos to a 0-0 draw in a first round first leg CAF Confederations Cup first leg tie at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
The result left the Zimbabwe champions needing to at least force a scoring draw in the return leg in Luanda in two weeks time to advance to the mini-league stage of the second tier competition.
With Takesure Chinyama playing possibly his last game before leaving for Orlando Pirates, the Harare giants were expected to take a good lead for the return leg, but found themselves struggling against the highly technical Angolans.
And it was the visitors who had the best opening chance, forcing two corners in the eighth minute when Partson Jaure hurried his clearances under pressure, but the hosts defended well.
In the 16th minute, Inter’s Barros had the ball in the back of the net but his header was marginally ruled out for offside.
Four minutes later, Chinyama missed Dynamos' best chance of the afternoon from about five metres after fine work by Denver Mukamba and Rodreck Mutuma who combined to release the centre forward.
Much of the play was concentrated in the midfield, but there was little happening in the final third.
Five minutes before the break, Chinyama was fouled just outside the box and Guthrie Zhokinyi, who scored from a similar position last week against Gunners, tried his luck again but failed to get the necessary dip.
On the hour mark, Dynamos had to defend three corners in succession as the Angolans piled on the pressure.
Chinyama was withdrawn for Zambian Derrick Kabwe in the 66th minute as coach Calisto Pasuwa tried to inject pace to his attack. Martin Vengesayi replaced another Zambian, Arthur Kaseloki, 10 minutes from the end.
Three minutes of injury time did the hosts no favours and Dynamos will now look back and wonder if playing Chinyama, Mukamba and goalkeeper Washington Arubi was a good idea after all.
Chinyama is on his way out; Mukamba could join Bidvest Wits while Arubi has been offered a deal, without trials, at newly promoted Absa Premiership side Pretoria University.
While Dynamos were struggling at home, their former coach Sunday Chidzambwa’s Black Leopards managed to get two crucial away goals against Sudanese giants Al Merreikh in the same competition on Saturday.
Leopards, though, lost the match 3-2, but just need a goal at home in a fortnight to progress to the mini-league phase.