IN a heart-stopping finale, Dynamos successfully defended their Chibuku Super Cup title, edging out Ngezi Platinum 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw that went the full distance.
The match burst into life from the opening whistle, with the Glamour Boys dictating the early pace and creating a flurry of chances, courtesy of the lively Valentine Kadonzvo.
Ngezi Platinum responded with a vengeance, Never Tigere rattling the woodwork with a ferocious free kick, while Obriel Chirinda’s effort was mysteriously flagged offside despite beating the goalkeeper.
The high-octane action continued unabated, with Chirinda finally breaking the deadlock on 24 minutes, unleashing a sumptuous volley that caught goalkeeper Martin Mapisa off guard. However, Dynamos’ response was dealt a blow when Kadonzvo limped off in the 38th minute, replaced by Emmanuel Paga.
The first half ended with Ngezi holding a slender 1-0 advantage. The second half began at a pedestrian pace, with both teams struggling to create meaningful chances. It wasn’t until the hour mark that the game sparked back into life, with Dynamos’ Tanaka Shandirwa and Paga both seeing efforts cleared off the line.
Sadney Urikhob then tested Chadya’s reflexes, but the Ngezi goalkeeper proved equal to the task. Urikhob’s second attempt was again repelled by the inspired shot-stopper.
Just when it seemed Ngezi would hold on, Fredrick Ansa-Botchway conjured a stunning equalizer for Dynamos on 80 minutes, sending the match into extra time.
The additional 30 minutes failed to produce a winner, paving the way for a nail-biting penalty shootout. Dynamos goalkeeper Martin Mapisa proved the hero, saving two kicks, while the Glamour Boys converted all four of their attempts to seal a historic victory.
In doing so, Dynamos became the first team to successfully defend the Chibuku Super Cup.
