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No changes to Dynamos squad

Sport
DYNAMOS have not made any additions to their Caf Champions League squad after failing to lure some of the big names that were on their wish list.

DYNAMOS have not made any additions to their Caf Champions League squad after failing to lure some of the big names that were on their wish list. HENRY MHARA

The league champions submitted a list of 26 players to Zifa before December 15 and had wanted to add four to make it 30 ahead of the Caf registration deadline which expires tonight.

On that list expected to be sent to Caf headquarters in Cairo today is Tafadzwa Rusike. The former Caps United and Ajax Cape Town midfielder was enlisted even though a contract had not been signed between the two parties.

Luckily for the Harare giants, Rusike agreed to sign with Dynamos secretary-general Webster Chikengezha yesterday confirming that his club had agreed terms with the player’s handler Edzai Kasinauyo. However, there were also other names that were reportedly on the Dynamos wish list, including Chicken Inn’s Kuda Mahachi and the Highlanders duo of Peter “Rio” Moyo and Milton Ncube.

A Dynamos source yesterday said the trio, who are part of the Warriors squad in camp preparing for the African Nations Championships (Chan) tournament which begins in South Africa on January 11, have refused to commit themselves to the champions hoping that they would get better offers at the tournament.

Unlike in previous seasons though, Dynamos have managed to retain all their players from last season.

Besides Rusike, they have also managed to lure Walter Mukanga from Triangle, Ronald Chitiyo and Themba Ndlovu from Monomotapa and Buffaloes respectively.

Banned Devon Chafa has also been included in the squad and will join the team later when his suspension expires in March.

Any additional player that Dynamos would want to add to their initial squad after today’s midnight deadline would attract a $500 fine.

The Kalisto Pasuwa-coached side, who have targeted a mini-league stage, will begin their Caf Champions League campaign with a preliminary round meeting against Botswana’s Mochudi Centre Chiefs on the weekend of February 7-9. The reverse fixture is in Gaborone two weeks later.

If they beat Mochudi, they will face the winner between AS Vita of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kano Pillars of Nigeria in the first round.

A possible clash with South African giants Kaizer Chiefs awaits in the group stage decider should both teams make the second round. Chiefs will clash with Black Africa of Namibia in the preliminary round. The Absa Premiership football kings will then face the winner between minnows CNAPS Sports of Madagascar and cash-rich Mozambican side Liga Muculmana in the first round.

Liga Muculmana are the former home to Sydney Linyama, who now plays for Dynamos.

Dynamos’ 26-man Champions League squad: G Chigova, A Mukandi, T Mukuruva, G Bello, P Jaure, O Machapa, T Ndlovu, V Kamhuka, T Magorimbo, O Mushure, A Mbara, S Alimenda, S Linyama, W Mukanga, R Chitiyo, R Madamombe, T Muparati, M Murape, B Ziruntusa,  D Chafa, T Rusike, C Sekete, T Mabvura, P Khumbula, W Pakamisa, S Sithole.