DYNAMOS coach Kalisto Pasuwa is targeting a goal harvest as they embark on yet another Caf Champions League football odyssey tomorrow.
REPORT BY HENRY MHARA
The Harare giants, booted out in the continent’s premier club competition after a humiliating 7-1 aggregate loss to Esperance last term, host a relatively unknown Lesotho Correctional Services (LCS) in a preliminary round match at Rufaro Stadium.
Much has been said about Pasuwa’s crippled strike-force ahead of the match after the departure of Simba Sithole, Rodreck Mutuma and Denver Mukamba, all lost to the South African Premiership.
Francisco Zvikumbawire, who had been registered to play the leading front role, only arrived in Harare at mid-morning yesterday and joined the rest of squad for the late afternoon training session.
Farai Mupasiri, the only recognisable striker left in the squad, has been down with a back injury and started training in the last few days. Patrick Khumbula and Allan Tavarwisa will only be eligible for the Champions League after the second round and this has forced Pasuwa to rush back new man Russel Madamombe from injury.
But for all the problems that have dogged his preparations, Pasuwa remains bullish and promised that goals would rain at Rufaro tomorrow.
Speaking at a Press conference that marked the formal marriage between BancABC and Mbada Diamonds as sponsors of Dynamos in this competition, Pasuwa said this was not time to cry about unavailable players.
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“We are ready for the game. We are going out there to attack and try to get a comfortable lead. Supporters should come and be our 12th man,” said Pasuwa.
“The 18 players that have been chosen for the match will play on Sunday (tomorrow). It’s a challenge for the strikers that are available to go out there and prove themselves. They joined Dynamos to play soccer and I expect them to do that.
“They (LCS) are a decent side and I have my guys in Lesotho who have been updating me on their type of play and they told me that they play good football. We will have to fight for a win.”
LCS do not expect Dynamos to have an easy start though.
“Since I arrived here, I have been reading newspapers saying we are a small team. No, we are not,” warned LCS coach Mosholu “Shoes” Mokhothu, who revealed that he had three international players in his side.
“We are a very big team and we have a very big stadium and my team is very comfortable playing in front of a big crowd. I am happy that my colleague here (Pasuwa) has called for supporters to come and pack the stadium because that is what we are used to and we would want that. Dynamos are a good side with a good history, but we will not allow them to humiliate us here.”
Dynamos probable X1: G Chigova, T Magorimbo, A Mbara, P Jaure, G Bello, T Muparati, S Alimenda, D Chafa, M Murape, B Ziruntusa, F Mupasiri
