CAFCL: Mutapa blames Dynamos defeat to slow start in Berkane

Power Dynamos coach Osward Mutapa has blamed the team’s opening defeat in the group stage of the CAF Champions League against RS Berkane of Morocco to a slow start especially in the first half of the game at the Municipal Stadium on Saturday.

The Zambian Super League champions endured a tough start to the campaign after suffering a 3-0 defeat. Dynamos conceded twice within the first 16 minutes, beginning with an early own goal by captain Aaron Katebe in the 12th minute.

Three minutes later, last season’s Confederation Cup winners doubled their lead when Haytam Manaout unlocked the defence with an assist that found Mounir Chouiar, who finished into the bottom-left corner.

Despite Coach Osward Mutapa’s attempt to shift the momentum with the introduction of Chifundo Mphasi for Jackson Mulambia, the hosts scored a third goal in the 65th minute when defender, Dominic Chanda, conceded a penalty, which Paul Bassene converted to seal their victory.

Dynamos paid the price for early mistakes

Giving his verdict on the defeat, Mutapa admitted his side paid the price for early mistakes but urged his players to remain focused.

“We didn’t do much, especially in the first 15 minutes, and we were punished, but we did better in the last 20 minutes of the game,” said Mutapa after the game. “We have learnt our lessons.

“The two goals came from our own mistakes, but it is now water under the bridge. We shouldn’t look down. This is football, and football is for the brave. We lost today, but we start working on our mistakes tomorrow.”

Dynamos captain Price Mumba echoed his coach’s sentiments, describing the result as “a painful defeat” but maintaining that the team remains determined to respond.

“It’s water under the bridge. We hope to rectify the mistakes we made,” he said.

The defeat left Dynamos joint bottom of Group A, alongside Nigeria’s Rivers United, who also suffered a 3-0 defeat in their match against Pyramids FC of Egypt.

Dynamos will aim to bounce back when they host defending champions, Pyramids FC, next Saturday at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.