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DEMBARE WARCRY

Sport
UGANDAN international midfielder Boban Ziruntusa is hoping to cap a fine week that saw him being drafted into his country’s national football team with a fine performance for Dynamos in tomorrow’s Champions League first round first leg tie against Tunisia’s CA Bizertin.

UGANDAN international midfielder Boban Ziruntusa is hoping to cap a fine week that saw him being drafted into his country’s national football team with a fine performance for Dynamos in tomorrow’s Champions League first round first leg tie against Tunisia’s CA Bizertin.

FROM ALBERT MARUFU IN TUNISIA

The match will be played at Stade 15 Octobre at 1600hrs Zimbabwean time. Zirintusa, who is in Uganda’s 25-member squad that faces Liberia in a World Cup qualifier in Monrovia, said he owed the call- up to Dynamos and would like to repay them by helping them beat CA Bizertin at home.

“I am happy to be called to the national team and I would like to thank Dynamos for that. It is because of the club that I have been noticed by people back home. I hope we will win the game against the Tunisian side. As players, we want to win the game so that we make life easier for us in the second leg,” he said after the team’s training session at Bsiri Stadium, which is a stone’s throw from the match venue.

Zirintusa has had a bright parch in the Champions League for Dynamos and was one of the scorers in the team’s 3-1 aggregate victory over Lesotho Correctional Services in the preliminary round of the competition.

His coach Kalisto Pasuwa whose side has been dogged by a number of injuries ahead of the tie, however, expressed concern over the type of food and accommodation at Residence Nour where the team is housed.

“Most of the players did not like the food that is being offered by the hotel and we have talked to the hotel management. They have looked into the issue and for today’s (yesterday) lunch things had improved and most the players ate. We also have problems with regard to non-availability of warm water in most of the players’ rooms and this affects the players as they need a warm bath especially in this cold weather. This area very cold and we need more blankets. The two blankets in most rooms are not enough,” he said. “It is also unfortunate that the tracksuits the players are wearing do not provide much warmth and we have been talking to the chairman to provide thermal skins to help the players in this cold weather. They are used to 20⁰C, but here the temperatures sometimes drop to nine.”

Pasuwa is also in a dilemma over whether to use midfielder Tawanda Muparati, who has a broken index finger.

“The doctor has removed the plaster on Muparati’s finger, but every time he goes into contact he hides the hand. We will see tomorrow, but I would not want to risk him. However, most of the players have recovered,” he said.

CA Birzetin have also had their fair share of problems as new coach Kbaier Monpher will be missing the services of the suspended duo of Arbi Jabeur and Mohamed Khadhari. Dynamos final 18 squad Goalkeepers: A Mukandi, G Chigova Defenders: P Jaure, A Mbara, G Bello, M Kadzola, O Mushure, T Magorimbo Midfielders: S Alimenda, D Chafa, C Sekete, R Madamombe, T Mabvura, M Murape, T Muparati Strikers: B Ziruntusa, F Mupasiri, F Zekumbawira