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NewsDay

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Dynamos focus on Interclube

Sport
After a much-needed win, Dynamos will look to keep their last hope of continental football success this season alive when they host Angolan club Interclube in the Caf Confederation Cup at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday. Dynamos enter the tournament at the round of 16 having crashed out of the Caf Champions League at the second […]

After a much-needed win, Dynamos will look to keep their last hope of continental football success this season alive when they host Angolan club Interclube in the Caf Confederation Cup at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.

Dynamos enter the tournament at the round of 16 having crashed out of the Caf Champions League at the second round stage.

The Kalisto Pasuwa-coached side were humiliated by Tunisian giants Esperance, falling to an embarrassing 7-1 aggregate scoreline.

However, the Harare giants have an opportunity to restore their tattered image when they clash with a team that reached the semi-finals of the competition last year.

The Angolans giants lost the race to the title on the away goals rule to the competitions eventual winners Mas Fes of Morocco. This year, Interclube reached the last 16 after an impressive 6-1 aggregate win over Al Amal Atbara of Sudan.

The Sudanese side knocked out Hwange on the away goals rule in the second round of the competition.

Sundays clash will mark the first time the two sides will be meeting in the competition, with Dynamos making their debut in the continents second-tier competition.

Dynamos will go into the match with their tails high after a morale-boosting 2-1 win over Gunners in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match on Sunday.

Pasuwa should be happy with the overall performance of his team especially striker Rodreck Mutuma who had arguably one of his best games this season.

The self-proclaimed Prince, who was playing behind main strikers Takesure Chinyama and Martin Vengesai, capped his near-perfect performance with the opening goal, a fierce shot from the edge of the box that settled into the top right corner.

However, Pasuwa should be very worried with the way his strikers squandered chances with Chinyama the main culprit.

Chinyama was very casual in his approach and needs to change his attitude if Dynamos are to get anything out of the Sunday match.

Dynamos will welcome back into the team inspirational midfielder Denver Mukamba for the match.

The Warriors midfielder missed the Gunners match serving suspension after receiving a red card in his teams previous league match against Harare City. Also expected to make a return to the team is the duo of midfielder Milton Makopa and defender Ocean Mushure after recovering from injuries.

A comfortable win for Dynamos at home will certainly make their life easier when they travel to Angola for the reverse fixture in two weeks. But there is no doubt the Angolan team will be no push-overs.

Their Cameroonian midfield star George Mbida, nicknamed Messi after Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, is looking beyond the Dynamos tie.

I want to win the Confederation Cup with Interclube. Our goal now is to reach the group stage and proceed to the final and win it. It will be wonderful to do so and bring to the fore Angolan football, Messi told Cafonline website this week. The winners of the two-legged tie will proceed to the group phase of the competition.

Meanwhile, Dynamos have been invited to take part in the Kagame Cup to be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, next month.

The annual tournament, which is organised by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Federations and sponsored by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is scheduled to kick off on July 14 and run through to 29.

The other Southern African teams that have been invited are South African giants Orlando Pirates and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, Dynamos secretary-general Raymond Kazembe yesterday said he was yet to receive the invitation.