DeMbare get an Orapa test

Langton Nyakwenda

A DECADE ago, Dynamos proved there was a huge gulf in class between the game in Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Dynamos, who had been blazing the trail at home under Kalisto Pasuwa and had by then won three straight Premiership titles, walloped Centre Chiefs of Gaborone 4-1 on aggregate in a CAF Champions League preliminary round tie in February 2014.

DeMbare won 3-0 in Harare on February 9, before holding Centre Chiefs 1-1 in the return leg a week later.

Four years earlier, the Glamour Boys had also dealt with another Botswana outfit — Gaborone United.

Dynamos hammered Gaborone United 4-1 in Harare on April 25, 2010, before losing 0-1 in the reverse fixture at the University of Botswana Stadium.

But things and times have since changed and football in Botswana has been improving, albeit gradually.

That steady improvement has also been partly credited to the presence of several Zimbabwean coaches and players in Botswana’s leagues.

Madinda Ndlovu, the late Rahman Gumbo, the late Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo, Mandla Mpofu, Philani “Beefy” Ncube, Taurai Mangwiro, Luke Masomere, Roy Barreto, Maxwell “Malume’’ Moyo, Bongani Mafu, Elvis “Chuchu’’ Chiweshe, Clever Hunda, Shepherd Murape and Paul Moyo are some of the Zimbabwean coaches who have coached or are still coaching in the Botswana Premier League.

Quite a significant number of Zimbabwean players, including Warriors winger Daniel Musendami, ex-Highlanders skipper Nqobizitha Masuku, Wilfred Muvirimi, Tinashe Balakasi and Kelvin Bingala, have featured in the Botswana top-flight.

Surprisingly, Botswana has become Dynamos’ new home on their return to continental football and after a 10-year hiatus that coincided with the Harare giants going on a barren spell.

Dynamos announced their return to the African safari with a CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round assignment against ZESCO United of Zambia, whom they hosted in Gaborone.

They beat ZESCO United 1-0 via a Tanaka Shandirwa header in the first-leg fixture at the Botswana National Stadium on August 18, before holding out for a goalless draw in the reverse fixture at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Interim coach Lloyd “MaBlanyo’’ Chigowe and his men are back in Botswana, this time for a clash against home town opponents.

They play Orapa United in the first leg of a second preliminary round fixture at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown this afternoon.

Kick-off is 4pm.

DeMbare, who are the away team, will then host Orapa United at the same venue for the reverse fixture next Sunday.

Expectations are high that Dynamos, based on their pedigree, should clear the Orapa United hurdle and advance to the more lucrative Confederation Cup group stage.

The game will provide some measure of how much the Botswana game has caught up with Zimbabwean football, 10 years after Dynamos posted a convincing win over Centre Chiefs. Football has naturally evolved worldwide, with a host of teams regarded as minnows posting huge upsets both at club and national levels.

It is against this background that Chigowe acknowledges it will not be easy for Dynamos against Orapa United.

But the veteran coach remains confident that his charges will progress in the competition.

“Naturally, like any other team going into a knockout stage, we aim to go past them,” he said. “It is not going to be easy because Orapa United are not at this stage of the tournament by invitation,” said Chigowe.

Orapa United knocked out Foresters of Seychelles in the first preliminary round.

They drew 1-1 in Saint Pierre on the Indian Ocean island before winning 2-0 at home.

To their credit, Orapa United scored three goals in that preliminary round tie.

But scoring has been a problem at Dynamos, both on the home and continental fronts.

They scored once against ZESCO of Zambia. They are also fresh from a goalless draw against domestic Premiership opponents TelOne.

Chigowe is worried about the trend.

“All the matches we played after the ZESCO encounter were in preparation for the decisive matches against Orapa United,” said Chigowe.

He said he is devising a system that allows goals to flow from all angles and not rely solely on strikers.

Chigowe’s strikers, Alexander Mandinyenya, Sadyney Urikhob, Emmanuel Paga, Elton Chikona and Eli Ilunga, have been struggling.

Against ZESCO, DeMbare got their goal from Shandirwa, a central midfielder.

Shandirwa is one of the big boosts that Chigowe has had in the build-up to today’s game. The former Yadah Stars man missed DeMbare’s last two assignments — the 3-1 win over ZPC Kariba in the Chibuku Super Cup and the 0-0 league draw against TelOne.

Defender Kelvin Moyo and the bustling Namibian forward Urikhob have reportedly recovered from injuries and should be available for selection today.