The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
BLUNDERING centre back Elisha Muroiwa and midfielder Wisdom Mutasa left for Tanzania yesterday morning.
Dynamos will have to quickly learn to get on with life without the pair as Match Day 11 of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League explodes today with nine matches on the cards. The pick of the crop is a potential humdinger between FC Platinum and Highlanders at Mandava.
CAF Champions League participants Caps United refocus their attention to the domestic front with a trip to Triangle while see-sawing DeMbare host ZPC Kariba at the National Sports Stadium. But action kicks off at lunch time with a bottom of the table clash between porous Bantu Rovers and struggling Harare City at Luveve in a game City’s new coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube is hard pressed to win.
Billed as one of the title favourites in the preseason, given the caliber of players within their ranks, Harare City have strangely punched below their weight in these early rounds. They are third from bottom with seven points from 10 matches and have just a single win to talk about since April Fool’s Day when the 2017 campaign kicked off.
After a midweek derailment at How Mine, second placed Black Rhinos return to Harare for a date with resurgent Yadah FC at Morris Depot. Yadah recovered from a four-game losing streak to wallop Triangle 3-0 at the same venue during the week and should fancy their chances against Chauya Chipembere.
At Baobab, log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars host Bulawayo City while winless Tsholotsho engage Chapungu at Ascot in Gweru. Back in Harare, a relieved Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa faces his tutor Sunday Chidzambwa without two senior players Muroiwa and Mutasa.
The duo left for new club Singida United of Tanzania early yesterday but DeMbare gaffer Mutasa says the departure will not disturb his plans as he has enough cover. “We will not be affected because we have replacements. If you look at it, Wizzy (Mutasa) came on as a substitute in our previous game while Muroiwa was rested but we still managed a win,” said Mutasa.
Marshal Machazane partnered regular centre back Lincoln Zvasiya when DeMbare beat Harare City 1-0 at the National Sports on Africa Day for their third win of the season. Dynamos are in an unfamiliar position, 11th on the log with the same number of points, as they await the decision on their abandoned match against Highlanders.
The same cannot be said for ZPC Kariba who are fourth and just three points behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars who have amassed 22 points in 10 matches. “We are not coming there (Harare) to just stand and watch Dynamos do whatever they want. We are coming there to fight for three points,” declared Chidzambwa.
Francesco Zekumbawire, Raphael Manuwire and Never Tigere have been doing well for ZPC Kariba. It should be a battle of wits at Mandava where two of the most respected football brains in the league clash in a fixture that has always been touted as one of the most entertaining on the calendar.
FC Platinum v Highlanders always provides both flair and tactical dynamics on the touchline. Norman Mapeza, the only coach yet to taste defeat in the league so far, has massive respect for Bosso who troop into Mandava a wounded lion having lost 0-1 to Chicken Inn on Africa Day. “Highlanders are a big club. We respect them because they are a big institution and we are going to double our efforts,” said Mapeza.
Bosso coach Erol Akbay expects a close contest. “The game is going to be very tight. We are very much focused and we are more than ready to play them,” he said.
Defending champions Caps United have to play catch up at Gibbo where they face Triangle hoping to close the gap between them and the leading pack.
Champions League commitments have left United lagging behind with nine points from six matches but Lloyd Chitembwe believes his men can do business on both the home and continental fronts.
In-form Ronald “Rooney”Chitiyo should be available for selection.
