DYNAMOS and Triangle meet in the Net-One One Wallet Cup final at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow, in something of a David versus Goliath football duel.
HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
It’s a clash of two teams with contrasting fortunes, one trying to win their third major trophy of the season and the other their first ever silverware.
Dynamos have already won the Bob90 Super Cup and TM Pick ‘n’ Pay Trophy this term after beating Highlanders on both occasions and are looking for more silverware before the season ends.
On the other hand, the Biggie Zuze-coached Triangle will be looking for their first-ever trophy since gaining promotion into the top-flight two seasons ago. In other words, the outcome of this final means everything to these two sides.
It is, of course, Dynamos who will start the match as huge favourites. Triangle only have one victory in their last five matches, and Dynamos, on the other hand, come into the match in contrasting form to the Sugar Boys.
On the two occasions when the two teams met in the Premier League, Dynamos won both matches.
The road to the National Sports Stadium for Dynamos has been a relatively straight-forward one with victories over Caps United and How Mine.
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In contrast, Triangle have had a more challenging route having to go through penalty shootouts against Harare City and Chicken Inn.
The Lowveld-based side have never made it this far in any competition in their two-year dance with the Premiership Big Boys, but their players will be hoping they can upset the odds.
“This is going to be a tough game for us, but we need to try and raise our game. Players are remembered for winning trophies and we are ready to do so, but we should fight for it,” said Triangle captain and defender Chastern Ndongonda, a sentiment which was echoed by star midfielder Lameck Nhamo.
“Our preparations are going on well. We don’t want to focus on our recent performances, but somehow we should try to address our weaknesses. We badly need to win this one,” he said.
There is good news in the Dynamos camp that goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi trained with the team yesterday and could make the squad for the match.
A source yesterday said the team’s medical team would make a final assessment on the player today, but there is a huge possibility that the former Pamushana High School student would be between the sticks in tomorrow’s match.
“He trained with the rest of the players and indications are that he will play,” said the source. The Dynamos technical team and players are not allowed to speak to the media outside their Thursday Press day.
Mukandi has not been able to train the whole of this week with a hip problem he picked in a league match against Shabanie Mine last Sunday.
Stephen Alimenda is also expected to make the team after being rested last week, and so is young and exciting Blessing Moyo, who was with the national team in Botswana last week.
Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa also returned to the country on Thursday night from a Fifa assignment in Egypt and will take charge of the team.
However, there was not any good news with regard to striker Simba Sithole, Walter Mukanga and Masimba Mambare, who are still sidelined due to injuries.
There were indications that Mambare, who is recovering from a long-term injury, would be given a runout in this match, but a source in the technical team said the match had come too early for the speedy winger.
But that does not mean that the team is short of game winners.
Striker Rodreck Mutuma, who has a history of deciding contests like these, is champing at the bit.
“This a big game. We need this cup (One Wallet) and the Mbada Diamonds Cup. We will try to give everything. We are in top form at the moment and are getting stronger by each week. The spirit in the dressing room is great,” said Mutuma.
Star forward Ronald Chitiyo, who has imposed himself since he joined the Glamour Boys at the start of the season from Monomotapa, added: “This is an important cup final to us. Playing in games like this helps to raise one’s profile. We have to try and get a good result,” said Chitiyo — a key member of the Monoz team which reached the final of the Mbada Diamonds Cup in which they came second best to Dynamos in 2012. Zuze was in charge of Monomotapa at the time, but a Mutuma brace denied him the chance to lift his first major silverware. But Zuze, whose team is fighting relegation with only six games before the curtain comes down on the season, has an opportunity to revenge. Winners of the trophy will walk away with $80 000 while the runners-up will pocket $50 000. The organisers of the match yesterday announced gate charges with the cheapest ticket pegged at $3.
