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DeMbare date Mozambican side |
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DYNAMOS will be a hoping that a meeting with Mozambican opposition in the Champions League this year will bring the good fortune it has brought in this competition in the past. The Glamour Boys have, somehow, done very well in the Champions League every time they have been drawn to play Mozambican opposition.
Fourteen years ago, DeMbare defeated Ferroviario of Maputo 1-0 at the Machava Stadium, for a 2-1 aggregate victory, to build the foundation for a successful challenge that took them to the final of the Champions League.
Claudius Zviripayi scored that priceless goal, with goalkeeper George Mandizvidza performing heroics between the posts, as Dynamos secured an unlikely victory after having been held 1-1 at home in the first leg.
Such was the impact of that win that angry Ferroviario supporters, who could not contain the pain of the defeat, ambushed the Zimbabwe champions and rained missiles on their team bus.
Dynamos players and officials were detained at the ground for about three hours, after the match had ended, as police battled to contained the rampaging mob.
Ten years later, Dynamos thrashed Costa do Sol 3-0 at Gwanzura, with Edward Sadomba scoring a hattrick, on their way into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Now, DeMbare will face a third Mozambican side, Liga Muculmana, in the first round proper of this year’s Champions League.
Liga Muculmana booked their date with the Zimbabwean champions after beating Zanzibar’s Mafunzo 5-0 on aggregate in a delayed Champions League preliminary round, second round match at the weekend.
In fact, encouraging recent results by Mozambican teams continued at the weekend as Liga Muculmana and Ferroviario Maputo advanced in the Caf club competitions.
A first minute goal from Stelio “Telinho” Ernesto set up Muculmana for a 3-0 triumph over Zanzibar visitors Mafunzo in a delayed Champions League preliminary round, second leg match.
“Telinho” completed his brace before half-time and Reginaldo Fait scored midway through the second half for a comfortable success that sealed a 5-0 aggregate victory and a last-32 date with Dynamos of Zimbabwe.
Dynamos, who received a bye into the first round, should provide a more thorough examination of the abilities of Muculmana having reached the semi-finals of the elite Caf club competition four years ago.
Ferroviario also completed a double by winning 1-0 away to Kenyan outfit Gor Mahia in the second-tier Confederation Cup thanks to a first-half goal from Ibraimo Pilale and face Sudanese side Al Ahly Shandy next.
Trailing by three goals after the first leg, 1987 African Cup Winners Cup title holders Gor failed to convert an early penalty kick in Nairobi before Pilale beat Jerim Onyango with a scorching shot from outside the box.
The Kenyans improved after stand-in coach John “Bobby” Ogolla made several second half substitutions with Cameroonian Baldwin Ngwa troubling the visiting defence.
But Ferroviario goalkeeper Nelson Longonote was in inspired form throughout the game with several excellent saves before a large crowd at Nyayo Stadium, including blocking a Victor Ali penalty attempt.
Success for Muculmana and Ferroviario followed a good showing by Mozambique in a 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier last month with a 1-1 draw in Tanzania offering hope of progress when the countries meet in Maputo during June.
Former champions Vita Club from the Democratic Republic of Congo overwhelmed Athletico Olympic of Burundi 5-0 in Kinshasa to virtually seal a Champions League second round spot ahead of the return match in Bujumbura this weekend.
The Congolese led 3-0 at half-time in the 80 000-seat Martyrs stadium through goals from Tadde Etekiama, Gabonese Romaric Rogombe and Yves Magola, who got his second after the break while Kevin Ndeyisene conceded an own goal
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