IT’S that time of the year again when Harare explodes into a sea of blue and white and green and white as the giants of the capital Dynamos and Caps United clash in their 70th Premiership battle.
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There is nothing extra-ordinary between the two teams so far, but the form of former Caps United striker Washington Pakamisa, now in the blue and white of the “enemy camp” makes the Sunday match at Rufaro worthwhile.
With six goals in four matches, Pakamisa is joint leading scorer with Chicken Inn’s Tendai Ndoro and there is no doubt he will be looking to score against his former paymaster.
Pakamisa was offloaded at Caps United after an industrial action and found a home “next door”, only to be met by a volatile section of the Dynamos fans. But he has taken that in his stride and won their admiration and the fans are expecting more goals from him against his former club.
Going into the match, Dynamos have picked up nine points in a row after six consecutive draws and remain the only unbeaten team in the league. Sitting at number five, the defending champions have 15 points, five off joint leaders Highlanders and FC Platinum and two off Harare City and How Mine.
Highlanders have a tricky encounter at Barbourfields against How Mine while Platinum are in Harare against Monomotapa.
Murape Murape returns to the Dynamos fold after serving a one match suspension and missing the weekend 2-0 win over Hwange and there is no doubt, he returns at a very crucial moment for Dynamos and coach Kalisto Pasuwa.
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Farai Mupasiri, although in controversial circumstances, has also made a scoring return to the team and the presence of the evergreen Tawanda Muparati, scorer in the 1-0 win in August last year, adds more venom to the defending champions attack.
The trio of Boban Bogere, Allan Tavarwisa and Patrick Khumbula have all but been passengers in the Dynamos train and cannot be relied on to bring in the goals hence the much needed return of Murape.
The last time the Green Machine beat De Mbare was way back in 2009 at the end of a four-year dominance, when South African-based Nyasha Mushekwi struck a memorable brace before his move to Mamelodi Sundowns the following season.
Clive Kawinga could be given a run against his former team.
For Caps, George Magariro, one of the best defenders on the domestic scene so far, will face his former paymasters for the first time this season after crossing the great divide.
But it is the quartet of Hardlife Zvirekwi, hard running striker Tawanda Nyamandwe and new singing Dominic Chungwa, who has five goals this season, will pose a real threat to Dynamos’ aspirations.
The Green Machine, coached by Taurai Mangwiro, came off 1-0 winners over Triangle on Sunday at Gibbo thanks to substitute Joseph Mutambiranwa and a safe pair of hands in goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube.
Dube produced top drawer saves against Triangle and would be hard to breach against the goal-shy Dynamos strikers.
The two bitter rivals are tied on 15 points although Dynamos are better placed on the log table due to a better goal difference, making this match a must win.
Besides the three points, more is at stake.
There is the local bragging rights, pride and a bit of some revenge on the agenda.
Dynamos have dominated their bitter rivals in recent years, winning all the four matches when they met in league and Cup games in 2011. Last season, the league champions recorded back-to-back league victories and rightly go into this encounter as favourites.
Caps United should welcome midfielder Rahman Kutsanzira for this match. The former Highlanders man has been out injured for some time now but started light training last week.
