DYNAMOS coach Kalisto Pasuwa yesterday allayed fears over the fitness of striker Washington Pakamisa ahead of the eagerly anticipated 70th edition of the Harare derby against rivals Caps United at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.
Report by Henry Mhara
The Premier Soccer League match, to be beamed live on SuperSport 9, will kickoff at 1400hrs.
There have been reports that the former Caps United man would not face his former paymasters due to a groin injury.
This was after the league joint leading goal scorer limped out of the team’s training session on Thursday.
“We were just being cautious on Washy, he is fine and will be available for selection on Sunday (tomorrow),” said Pasuwa after the team’s training session at the match venue yesterday.
No doubt Pakamisa’s form and return of six goals in the last four games, and playing against the team that dumped him unceremoniously, should make him the man to watch.
Caps United have former Dynamos defender George Magariro in their ranks, a man whose departure from the blue side of the city was equally brusque.
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The past four seasons have undeniably seen a swing in the balance of power in this derby, Dynamos appear to not only get better and better every season, but more comfortable whenever they are playing their bitter rivals.
The Green Machine, on the other hand, appears to be a club content in getting the pounding against their adversary.
Caps coach Taurai Mangwiro, who himself is a former Dynamos man, however, said his team was ready to break the jinx.
He believes the trump cards could be the new breed of players in the team.
“I am not taking anything from the players that were here previously, but like last season we had a star-studded team from the goalkeeper to the last man on the bench but they still fell short against Dynamos.
“This time around we have a blend of young talented players like Ronald Pfumbidzai and Dominic Chungwa and experience. They could be the difference. They have everything to play for. They want to prove something on the grand stage and I believe that on its own would work in our favour,” said Mangwiro yesterday.
Dynamos striker Patrick Khumbula and midfielder Tichaona Mabvura’s chances of playing are rated at 50-50. Khumbula sprained an ankle at training on Wednesday while Mabvura is recovering from an injury and started training this week.
Francisco Zekumbawira is still out with a hip injury and so are Cliff Sekete (groin) and Sydney Linyama, who is yet to get his clearance from Chicken Inn. He has gone AWOL. However, the good news for Dynamos is that goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi has recovered from a mysterious swelling on his knees and was training this week.
“It does not matter that we beat Caps United in previous seasons. This is a new game altogether and we will have to fight hard to win,” said Pasuwa.
Caps United, on the other hand, should welcome back from injury midfielders Hardlife Zvirekwi and Rahman Kutsanzira while hard-tackling defender Arnold Chivheya also returns from suspension.
On his links to Dynamos, Mangwiro said: “It’s at Dynamos where the foundation was laid, that I can’t run away from. We have many personnel at Caps that have Dynamos blood in them, the likes of Tafadzwa Dube and Tawanda Nyamandwe, and Dynamos also have Washington Pakamisa and Clive Kawinga.
“Even their coach was once at Caps United so that would count for nothing on Sunday (tomorrow). During my time at Masvingo and Monomotapa, I recorded a fair share of success against Dynamos and I will try to exhibit that same professionalism I have shown before. If we lose the match, we would have failed as a team, not that so-and-so would have thrown away the match, the same with Dynamos.”
