The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Champions Dynamos are seeking to build on the momentum brought by their controversial mid-week win over FC Platinum as they visit troubled Chiredzi at Chishamiso this afternoon.The Glamour Boys, who had gone for three matches without a win and a goal, bounced back to winning ways with a contentious 1-0 win over Lloyd Mutasa’s FC Platinum to take their points tally to 13 out of a possible 24.
In Chiredzi, DeMbare will face a side that is struggling both financially and results wise.
Moses “Bambo” Chunga’s side has managed just five points, scoring six goals and conceding 14.
Their last game saw them being thumped 3-0 by Shabanie Mine at Maglas in a midweek fixture.
Dynamos will be fancying their chances against such a generous defence.
An impotent strike force has been DeMbare’s greatest undoing as the champions have had to rely on other departments for goals, but Kallisto Pasuwa won’t mind as long as his team grinds out results.
Industrious leftback Ocean Mushure, scorer of the penalty that ended DeMbare’s winless streak, reckons the defending champions might have turned a corner with the FC Platinum win.
“We have a very competitive squad, but the problem was that results were not coming and the win against FC Platinum has obviously brought our confidence back.
“Once we start winning, we can make life really difficult for our opponents and hopefully we will continue on the same path against Chiredzi FC, who are a tricky side to face.
“We will just take it game by game, continue enjoying our football and hopefully we will be at the top at the end of the marathon because gold medals are the hallmark of playing for Dynamos,” said Mushure.
Slippery winger Cliff Sekete, who coincidentally is Bambo’s protégé and is expected to play a crucial role in today’s clash, believes the midweek win might be the start of better things for DeMbare.
“We were under a lot of pressure before the FC Platinum game and it was good that we won it. It sort of took the burden off our shoulders and motivates us as we head into a potential banana skin match away in Chiredzi.
“Yes, our strikers are not scoring, but I believe it’s a passing phase. After all, at DeMbare every player can score and the ultimate aim is to win,” said Sekete soon after that controversial win over FC Platinum.
Chunga, still smarting from a 0-3 defeat at the hands of a Shabanie Mine side that played the entire second half a man short, is not throwing in the towel as yet.
He believes a win over Dynamos can provide the boost his side badly needs.
“We are coming from very trying times where we almost disbanded and it is always difficult to spring back to full throttle. But I take everything in my stride and I am happy with the challenges that are before me as a coach because at the end of it all challenges are there to be conquered and I am confident we can upstage Dynamos,” said Bambo.
In other matches Caps United, whose step had gotten a spring, thanks to their jinx-breaking 1-0 win over cross-town rivals Dynamos in the ZNA Commander’s Charity Shield semi final before being humbled in mid-week by How Mine, are at home to Methembe Ndlovu’s Bantu Rovers.
Bantu, with nine points in the bag, have had a decent start to the season.
Highlanders are away to Luke Masomere’s wounded Buffaloes at Sakubva, while Hwange hosts Shabanie Mine at the Colliery.
Fixtures:
Today: Buffaloes FC vs Highlanders (Sakubva); Hwange vs Shabanie Mine (Colliery); Caps United vs Bantu Rovers (NSS); Chiredzi FC vs Dynamos (Chishamiso)
Tomorrow: Harare City vs Black Rhinos (Rufaro).
