DYNAMOS will have goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi and Simba Sithole available for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match against Chapungu at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
Defender Sydney Linyama has also made a return to the defending league champions, having gone AWOL two weeks ago, conduct that angered coach Kalisto Pasuwa. Linyama vanished when Pasuwa was attending a Fifa technical conference on the 2014 World Cup in Egypt.
On his return to training, the lanky defender was reportedly made to train with the club’s juniors as punishment before he was accepted back to train with his fellow seniors last week.
It is the return of Mukandi and Sithole, though, which represents a major boost for Pasuwa and his team.
Mukandi suffered a hip injury during Dynamos’ 1-0 win over Shabanie Mine a fortnight ago after the former Monomotapa player landed awkwardly in an attempt to save a shot.
The injury saw him missing two matches, first the team’s penalty shootout loss to Triangle in the One Wallet Cup final and the 1-0 league victory over Buffaloes last week.
In his absence, Pasuwa was forced to do with Prince Edward student Tatenda Mukuruva, who on both occasions, performed beyond expectations.
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Sithole’s return is also most welcome. The former Pamushana High School student has not played for more than a month now after he suffered a hamstring injury in a match against FC Platinum, but the Dynamos technical bench is hopeful the striker will be available for selection for Sunday’s visit of Chapungu.
“They started training on Monday and they are looking good. They should be available for selection,” said team manager Richard Chihoro on Mukandi and Sithole.
The bad news in the Dynamos camp is that Devon Chafa and Anesu Gondo did not train with the rest of the team this week as they continue with their rehabilitation from injuries and they have been ruled out of the match.
Dynamos’ visitors are also crippled by injuries with key players Brighton Mugoni and Blessed Mbavarira both ruled out because of injuries.
However, coach John Nyikadzino believes he has enough depth in his squad as he tries to escape relegation. Chapungu are on 10th position, with 32 points, five more than Triangle, the team occupying the relegation cut-off point.
“The absence will affect us in terms of consistency in the team, but it ends there. We are allowed to register 35 players to deal with situations like these. We have able replacements and my only hope is that all my players will come to the party on Sunday,” said Nyikadzino. “Dynamos are a very good side and we have to be at our very best if we are to get something out of this match. They are at their very dangerous at this stage of the season and if I had my way, I wouldn’t have wanted to meet them at this moment,” he added.
With just five matches remaining before the season ends, Dynamos are top of the log standings at 49 points, two ahead of ZPC Kariba who have a chance to go on top when they travel to FC Platinum tomorrow afternoon — in a match that could go either way.
Third-placed Caps United are not very far off the pace, at 45 points, but they will need to collect maximum points when they travel to Gibbo to face Triangle if they are to remain in contention for the title.
Highlanders are fourth and 10 points behind Dynamos. Things have been going horrible for the Bulawayo giants in recent weeks, in a series of events that saw coach Kelvin Kaindu leaving his post and the team also exiting the Chibuku Super Cup, giving their league match against Chicken Inn on Sunday, an extra importance.
At the other end of the table, Chiredzi, who face How Mine at Hartsfield today, are out of the league and Bantu Rovers are just hanging in there while Black Rhinos and Triangle are also involved in a relegation dogfight.
Matchday 26
Today: How Mine vs Chiredzi (Hartsfield) Tomorrow: Bantu Rovers vs Shabanie Mine (Hartsfield), ***Black Rhinos vs Hwange (Rimuka), FC Platinum vs ZPC Kariba FC (Mandava) Sunday: Buffaloes vs Harare City (Sakubva), Triangle United vs Caps United (Gibbo), ***Dynamos vs Chapungu (Rufaro), Highlanders vs Chicken Inn (Hartsfield). ***Matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport
