Tonderai Ndiraya has hailed what he called the “Dynamos spirit” which was exuded by his players to grind out a narrow 1 – 0 victory over newcomers Cranborne Bullets at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday.
The win saw the Glamour Boys end a two match losing streak inflicted by FC Platinum in the Chibuku Cup first and then Triangle in the league.
After the win Dynamos moved into fifth place on the log standings behind leaders Manica Diamonds, Ngezi Platinum Stars in second, FC Platinum third and Triangle as the league enters the Afcon break.
“I want to give credit to my players for fighting hard and getting results against a team which is playing good football so that fight that spirit is what we are looking for in our team,” Ndiraya told ZTN TV after the match.
“That is a show of the Dynamos spirit. Of course we still have some grey areas; we still have a lot to work on for us to be an oiled machine for us to a good team which can fight for the title.
“But I am happy that in the state that we are at the moment we are able to collect results,” be added.
Ndiraya was pleased that the team managed to bounce back to winning ways after a rough patch.
“It’s been very difficult for the past two weeks. You know at Dynamos when you lose games you want to play the next game quickly so that you forget about the previous game.
“Our players had to endure two weeks of ridicule and abuse because of that defeat in Triangle but I am happy today they have come good they have shown some great deal of character and this should take us into the next gear going forward,” Ndiraya said.
While Jeansmith Mutudza produced a superb man of the match performance, Ndiraya was rather full of praise for teenage star Stephen Chatikobo.
“I am impressed by the teenagers. We have Stephen Chatikobo and I feel pity for him because he missed a sitter. But the fact that he got into the box to try and score a goal for the team is what is important for us.
“The boys is 17, he has just completed his O levels and to play the way he did I thought he really put in good shift for a young boy,” Ndiraya said.
Chatikobo from Prince Edward Academy was registered by Dynamos during the August transfer window along with another 17-year-old Claivert Tshuma.
Other Prince Edward Academy players at Dynamos include Antonio Bill who has broken into the Warriors’ squad, Luke Musikiri and Hamilton Gomba who joined early in the year.
The Premier League season is set to return mid-February 2023 with the completion of the match day Three fixtures which were cancelled due to a Covid-19 outbreak.