Key players will not feature in the much-anticipated clash between Harare giants Dynamos and a rejuvenated Gunners team at Lafarge Stadium this Sunday.
Dynamos will miss the influential midfield duo of Tawanda Muparati and defensive hard-man Milton Makopa while Gunners will do without offensive midfielder Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe and no-nonsense defender Pardon Chinungwa due to suspension.
In correspondence circulated by the Premier Soccer League (PSL)chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele yesterday, the quartet are among 17 players who will not take part in their respective teams this weekend.
“Please note that the players listed hereunder have each accumulated three (3) yellow cards and will be suspended for one match respectively.
The said players shall not be allowed to participate in their clubs’ Week 22 of the Castle Lager League matches scheduled for August 27/28 2011,” read the correspondence from Ndebele.
The hardest hit team is Masvingo United who will miss the services of the trio of Suprine Muchabaya, Patson Sinamayi and Walter Mukanga for their clash against Shooting Stars at Gwanzura on Saturday.
Second-placed FC Platinum will travel to Bulawayo for a tricky tie against Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium on Saturday, but without Young Warriors midfielder Joel Ngodzo and Warriors speedy winger Benjamin Marere.
Luke Masomere’s Shabanie Mine — smarting from a 2-0 defeat to Dynamos last week — look to continue their fight for survival in the league when they host Monomotapa at Maglas on Sunday.
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However, they will do that without the duo of Simon Shoko and Michael Mageja while Monomotapa will be without pint-sized striker Osbourne Mukuradare.
Blue Ribbon defender Brighton Tuwaya and striker James Jam will miss the trip to Hwange on Sunday while veteran Chipo Tsodzo will not take part in Zimbabwe Saints’ interesting clash against log leaders Motor Action at White City Stadium on Sunday.
Black Mambas duo of captain Lovemore Maphuya and Innocent Nyoni are also on the suspension list, but will be spared for this week as the police outfit match against Kiglon has been postponed due to the ongoing Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Corporation Organisation Games in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mambas players make the bulk of the soccer team representing Zimbabwe.
The biggest match of the weekend however should be the clash between Dynamos and Gunners, the two in-form teams.
The clash has been conversely spoiled by the absence of Makopa and midfield partner Muparati for Dynamos while Chinungwa and Kunyarimwe will be greatly missed in the Gunners team.
Dynamos Coach Calisto Pasuwa is likely to call on forgotten Devon Chafa to hold fort for Makopa while Archford Gutu, who was benched last week against Shabanie, will have a chance to prove his worth in the team.
Former Gunners midfielder Nathan Ziwini is also likely to face his former paymasters.
The man who will hog all the limelight though is none other than Gunners coach Moses Chunga who will be looking to throw spanners to the ambitions of a team that made him what he is today.
Chunga, a Dynamos legend, is on record saying he is a professional and will never extend any favours to his former club whenever he is coaching another PSL team, and Sunday’s match should not be any different.
Chunga has transformed Gunners from relegation candidates to a dark horse for the Premiership title. Chunga has not lost a match since taking over last month, winning five and drawing three and another win on Sunday will parachute his side to fifth position on the log.
Pasuwa has been in charge for two matches and won both convincingly to cut the gap between his side and the leading pair to just five points.
He will be aware that another three points on Sunday, coupled with a slip by FC Platinum and Motor Action will put his side in a very good position going into the final stretch of the season. Dynamos have 36 points while Gunners have amassed 29 to date.
