Moses Chunga can be forgiven for refusing to get carried away with all the talk of an emotional clash with his former club Dynamos at Lafarge Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners coach made his name at the Harare giants and is regarded as the finest player to have donned the famous blue and white Dynamos shirt.
To put it bluntly, he is the club’s legend and has admitted he will always have a special place in the hearts of Dynamos supporters.
However, the challenge of taking another Premiership side to fight against a club that made him what he is today means this is no time to take a journey down memory lane.
Chunga is on record saying he would not extend any favours to Dynamos whenever he is in charge of another Premier League side.
Whether that mindset changes when he stands on the touchline tomorrow and receives a reception befitting a Dynamos legend status remains to be seen.
“It’s a fact that I once played for Dynamos and nothing will change that. But people should know that I’m a Gunners coach now. I know where my bread is buttered,” said Chunga on Friday.
“There is nothing special about this match, I will treat it just like any other match in the league. It will be tough obviously because we are playing a big team, but a better prepared team will win the match,” added Chunga.
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Everything that Chunga has done so far since rejoining Gunners suggests that he is cut out for the job judging from the Chando Kupisa’s current form. This fixture is the last thing the Dynamos family would want.
Chunga has not lost in eight games, winning five and drawing three to lift his side from being relegation candidates to serious dark horses for the league.
The outspoken coach admitted his club was out of the league race, but he said there was nothing that would stop him from throwing spanners into the Dynamos league ambitions.
After failing with the so-called big teams, his recent exit at Caps United being the latest indication, Chunga would definitely want to make a name for himself again and repair his tarnished CV.
Another man who will be definitely under the spotlight is Dynamos attacking midfielder Nathan Ziwini, who will be making an emotional return to the ground where he made his name.
The suspension of regular Tawanda Muparati has presented an opportunity for the pint-sized Ziwini to prove his worth to the Harare giants team.
Milton Makopa is also set to miss today’s clash due to suspension while Gunners will do without the services of no-nonsense defender Pardon Chinungwa and Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe for similar reasons.
Dynamos coach Calisto Pasuwa has accounted well for himself since he took over. With two wins out of two he will be well aware that another win tomorrow would exert more pressure to the leading pair.
“The match is very tricky, but our players know what is expected of them in such a big game. It’s one match we have to win at all costs if we still have any ambition of winning the championship. We have to keep our concentration levels high and collect as many points as possible and who knows, we might sneak in, we are in a very good position at the moment,” said Dynamos assistant coach Tichaona Diya.
Pasuwa’s men are on 36 points; just five points shy of log leaders Motor Action who lead second-placed FC Platinum by a superior goal difference.
The Mighty Bulls will try to extend their lead at the top when they travel to Bulawayo to face a Chipo Tsodzo-less Zimbabwe Saints at Luveve stadium.
The veteran player is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards.
FC Platinum, without the Warriors duo of Benjamin Marere and Joel Ngodzo due to suspension, are also in Bulawayo on Saturday where they will face fifth-placed Chicken Inn.
In another interesting fixture of the weekend, fourth-placed Highlanders travel to Harare to face Caps United at the National Sports Stadium Saturday.
The match had been initially scheduled for Saturday.
Castle Lager PSL fixtures
Saturday: Chicken Inn v FC Platinum (Luveve Stadium), Shooting Stars v Masvingo (Gwanzura Stadium)
Sunday: Blue Ribbon v Hwange (Rufaro Stadium), Zimbabwe Saints v Motor Action (White City Stadium), Shabanie Mine v Monomotapa (Maglas Stadium), Gunners v Dynamos (Lafarge stadium), CAPS United v Highlanders (National Sports Stadium) Black Mambas v Kiglon FC (Postponed)
