The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter
RUNAWAY Group One leaders Dynamos will use today’s low-key derby against CAPS United to prepare for their Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final match.
Tonderai Ndiraya, however, has since revealed that he is taking the match seriously despite the result being merely academic.
The Harare derby, which will be staged at Baobab Stadium this afternoon, will be a dead rubber if Harare City beat Herentals at the National Sports Stadium this morning.
DeMbare are already into the last eight, where they will face Group Three runners-up Black Rhinos, while Harare City will clinch second position in Group One if they collect maximum points against Herentals.
Should City progress, they will play Group One winners Cranborne Bullets, who beat Tenax 1-0 at Sakubva yesterday to finish on 12 points, four ahead of Rhinos, who drew 1-1 with Manica Diamonds at Baobab. “We have started preparations for the quarter-final. Now that we know our opponents, which is Black Rhinos, we are preparing for Rhinos,” Ndiraya told The Sunday Mail Sport.
“We are playing against CAPS United with Black Rhinos in mind, so we will take tomorrow’s (today) match seriously; it’s going to be fireworks at Baobab.”
Ndiraya has included three teenagers — Hamilton Gomba, Bill Antonio and Luke Musikiri — in the Harare giants’ match-day squad. “Each one of them has a chance of playing,” Ndiraya said.
Cameroonian striker Albert Eonde is back from injury and is expected to lead the Dynamos attack.
FC Platinum clinched top spot in Group Four after beating Ngezi Platinum Stars 2-1 in a platinum derby at Mandava Stadium yesterday. Both teams finished tied on 13 points but FC Platinum have a one-goal advantage over their rivals and will now face Group Two runners-up Highlanders in the quarter-final.
Group Two log leaders Chicken Inn, who drew 1-1 against Bulawayo Chiefs to move to 12 points, will play Ngezi Platinum Stars in the last eight.
The quarter-final fixtures will be played at venues to be announced by the Premier Soccer League next weekend.
