DYNAMOS will have to overcome fatigue as they undertake a 1 069km road journey across two borders into Botswana to fulfill the preliminary round, second leg Caf Champions League football tie against Mochudi Centre Chiefs on Sunday.
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Club secretary Webster Chikengezha yesterday said the team would leave Harare at 6am and was scheduled to arrive in Botswana around 10pm, a journey which could take them about 14 hours.
Chikengezha said there was nothing amiss about the travelling arrangements as Lesotho Correctional Services came through Botswana and left Gaborone at around the same time and arrived in Harare around 11pm for their first leg encounter against Dynamos.
“The team is leaving tomorrow (today) at 6am and is scheduled to arrive around 10 or 11pm the same day. The team will use the bus donated by Nyaradzo Funeral Services and it’s possible to arrive the same day,” said Chikengezha.
The champions will hit the 438km road journey to Bulawayo before another 100km to the Plumtree border post. From there, they will take another hour’s journey to Francistown, which is 95km from Plumtree, before a gruelling 436km journey to Gaborone. Dynamos are the second team in the last few days to travel to Gaborone by road after the Mighty Warriors also made the same trip for the African Women Championship qualifier.
The Glamour Boys got their goals in the first leg from striker Washington Pakamisa, who scored a brace, and midfielder Masimba Mambare.
Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa and his troops seeking to defend their lead will have to endure a long road trip as the club faces a serious cash squeeze.
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The Dynamos hierarchy had been hoping to tie down a sponsor for the campaign after their principal sponsors BancABC indicated that they would not be able to bankroll their African Safari although they would continue to help in domestic matches.
Dynamos have been boosted by the return from injury of striker Simba Sithole and midfielder Tafadzwa Rusike.
The two, who missed Sunday’s victory, have been certified fit by the medical team and started training yesterday.
Sithole had a tendon inflammation and had been rested for five days while Rusike had a minor hamstring injury. Should Dynamos manage to defend their lead, they will meet the winner between AS Vita of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kano Pillars of Nigeria. AS Vita overcame Kano Pillars 3-1 in the first leg at home. Should Dynamos progress, they will have no choice, but to get money for airfares to either Nigeria or the DRC.
