Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. DYNAMOS coach Kelvin Kaindu heaped lavish praise on his captain, Emmanuel Jalai, declaring him the best right-back in the country after his stunning performance helped DeMbare overcome bitter rivals Highlanders in a dramatic Chibuku Super Cup semi-final penalty shootout on Sunday.
The Harare giants advanced to the final following a pulsating 5-3 victory in the shootout, after the two teams had battled to a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Jalai, the 26-year-old skipper, stole the show by opening the scoring early in the first half with a brilliant goal from range that flew over Highlanders keeper Ariel Sibanda.
Melikhaya Ncube later found the equaliser for Bosso deep in the second half to force the match into penalties.
Kaindu could not hide his excitement over the captain’s showpiece moment.
“I am happy to see Jalai score a goal. What a goal,” the coach exclaimed after the final whistle.
The Zambian gaffer believes the goal-scoring dimension is the only piece missing from the defender’s arsenal.
“I said for him to be a complete player. He’s got everything. But for him to be a complete player is for him to start scoring,” Kaindu said, adding: “Because there is no player that can be compared to the skills that he has as a right-back.
“But (now what is needed is) for him to start giving us goals. And we just hope and pray that he will still give us more goals to come.”
Jalai has been a standout performer in the local league, a fact acknowledged by his constant presence in the Warriors’ squad under former coach Michael Nees—one of the few locally based players to achieve such a feat.
His stellar season has also seen him tipped to make the coveted Soccer Stars of the Year calendar.
While the cup final provides an opportunity for silverware, Kaindu was quick to acknowledge that the win serves as a crucial morale booster as the team switches focus back to the grim reality of a relegation fight in their last three league matches.
“Yeah, it gives us a lot of confidence,” the coach confessed.
“Probably sometimes we wish this was a league game for you to move forward.”
The win against Highlanders continues Dynamos’ impressive run of form, with the team now unbeaten in eight matches since Kaindu took charge in August.
However, DeMbare’s league position remains precarious.
The team currently occupies the 16th position on the 18-team log standings with 34 points from 31 matches.
Kaindu stressed that every win now matters, whether in the cup or the league.
“I give credit to the team for us to be where we are in terms of position.
“When I joined, I think the gap was just too huge.
“Despite the wins that we were picking, we still remain in the same position.”
To be mathematically guaranteed survival, Dynamos require at least five points from their remaining three matches, or simply two wins.
The coach concluded by underlining the need to translate the cup momentum into league points.
“Now it’s one win that can make a difference. We get back to the league. And we just hope that we focus.
“That’s probably the only consolation that can help us as we celebrate surviving relegation. It’s for us to keep our hands on the cup [final].”
The cup run has offered a vital distraction and confidence injection as Dynamos battle to avoid the dreaded drop in what has been one of the most unpredictable league seasons in recent memory.
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