The Sunday Mail
WHILE David “Yogi” Mandigora is still waiting for new strikers Dominic Chungwa and Kelvin Bulaji to come to the party, Luke Masomere is confident that his much touted front-line trio of Limited Chikafa, Charles Sibanda and Kuda Musharu is ready to cause pain.
Mandigora’s Dynamos square up against Masomere’s expensively assembled How Mine at Barbourfields this afternoon.
Masomere could also unleash former DeMbare darling Devon Chafa in a match that the outspoken gaffer believes his team will start as underdogs.
Another former Dynamos man and 2013 Soccer Star of the Year, Tawanda Muparati, is still to recover from an ankle injury.
DeMbare are on 17 points and could open a five point advantage over Chikurupati while closing in on early pacesetters Triangle and Chicken Inn with a victory in Bulawayo.
How Mine, who have had a topsy-turvy start despite possessing some of the best players in the land, are two points behind the league champions.
As usual, Masomere — a master of mind games — heaped much praise on DeMbare, but warned his former side of the danger the trio of Chikafa, Musharu and Sibanda can cause.
The How Mine gaffer was bubbling with confidence as he talked up his front three.
“We are playing the best team in the country in all aspects and to just wake up and say ‘we will beat Dynamos’ is purely bar talk. We start as underdogs, but have prepared well for this crunch tie.
“It is also good news that Chafa, whose experience with DeMbare could be vital, has fully recovered and with the way he was playing at training during the week, I think he will make the team,” said Masomere.
Sibanda, who crossed the floor from Highlanders at the beginning of the season, and Musharu were joint top scorers with 12 apiece last season, while Chikafa was named the third best player for the 2014 season before he dumped ZPC Kariba.
The deadly trio has not had a chance to combine forces due to injuries, but Masomere revealed that his key players “are almost back to their best.”
Chikafa has now fully recovered from a dislocated cheek, while Sibanda lasted the full 90 minutes during last weekend’s 1-0 win over Tsholotsho.
“Chikafa is doing some wonderful things during training and Kuda (Musharu) is starting to show signs that made him one of the best strikers last season.
“I do not want to load them with too much pressure, but you will see what I am talking about,” declared Masomere.
On the contrary, DeMbare are uneasy.
Their best player Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo is out of the clash due to national commitments, their blunt strikers have not scored since Week Five and the champions have been hit by a couple of injuries.
Utility player Obey Mwerahari pulled a hamstring in the crucial win against FC Platinum last Sunday and could be out for several weeks.
Roving left winger Qadr Amini is still out with a groin and so is chief striker Simba Nhivi, who is still feeling the effects of Gift Bello’s crude lunge on his knee.
He, too, could be sidelined for a while.
The absence of Nhivi leaves the mantle on Chungwa, who, sadly, has scored just once in nine games since joining from Caps United.
His former United teammate Bulaji has been a disappointment with no league goal to his name.
He is an early contender for DeMbare’s flop of the season.
However, Dynamos assistant coach Tonderayi Ndiraya has leapt to the defence of the duo.
“We are managing them mentally so that they become themselves and start scoring those goals.
“There is more pressure at DeMbare and they need to be given more time to settle,” said Ndiraya.
A last gasp goal from forceful winger Oscar Machapa against FC Platinum calmed the nerves at DeMbare after two consecutive losses to Chicken Inn and Whawha.
Dynamos enjoy a 3-1 head-to-head lead in league matches over their hosts, whose sole victory came on July 6, 2013 courtesy of a solitary strike by former Warriors striker Simba Sithole.
Today’s fixtures:
Caps United v Chapungu (NSS), FC Platinum v Triangle (Mandava), How Mine v Dynamos (BF).
