CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League champions Dynamos got their league campaign up and running with a convincing win over Buffaloes on the opening weekend last week, but they face an early season test with a trip to their bogey side Chapungu this afternoon.
BY HENRY MHARA/WELLINGTON TONI
The Glamour Boys whipped the sorry army side 3-0 last Sunday and coach David Mandigora is expecting another strong performance from his squad. This fixture last season ended in a 1-0 win for Chapungu and the reverse was a draw, thus Dynamos, besides looking for maximum points, would be motivated by revenge.
Chapungu on the other hand, would want to keep their impressive home form from last season which saw them losing just one match at their Ascot Stadium in the last campaign, to relegated Bantu Rovers.
“The guys started the season very well, but we can’t still be talking about that game, it’s now water under the bridge. We have to prepare for our next match, which is a tough one against Chapungu,” Mandigora said after the team’s training session on Thursday.
“Chapungu have proved to be our bogey side, but we will treat the match the way we would have approached any other match. We will give them their respect but we will go there with the aim of getting maximum points.”
Chapungu are no pushovers at Ascot Stadium and last season managed to collect maximum points against the so called big teams at this venue including Dynamos and Caps United.
The airmen are looking a formidable side this season after collecting a point against an expensively assembled How Mine away at Luveve in their opening fixture last weekend.
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Mandigora’s mission to collect maximum points in this tie have been made even more difficult with the absence of captain Augustine Mbara who is on trials at South African club Bidvest Wits.
Dynamos were expecting the central defender to be back in the country yesterday, but reports from Pretoria on Thursday, however, suggested that he would only be released at the weekend, making it difficult for him to be at Ascot.
That is unless if he travels back home via Bulawayo and takes the short, 156km road trip to the Midlands capital.
Mandigora is, however, optimistic that his skipper would be available and has included the defender in the final squad.
“We are hoping he is coming back, but if he doesn’t arrive today (yesterday) then we will have to make some changes. We have already made some provisions for that possibility and put Stephen Alimenda and Oscar Machapa as stand-in captains,” Mandigora said.
Also set to miss the trip to the Midlands is the injured duo of Masimba Mambare and Patrick Kumbula. Mambare has been dogged by injuries since opting not to renew his contract at Highlanders in 2013.
While all focus is on the defending champions, Chapungu have been going on about their business quietly, acquiring goalkeeper Talbert Shumba, towering midfielder Tafadzwa Mombeshora and Blessing Zabula, while retaining the experienced Philip Marufu.
They also have William Ngonya, Hillary Mugoniwa and Tongai Mangwendere on their books.
After a slow start to the 2015 Castle Lager Premiership onslaught, FC Platinum arrive in Harare tomorrow hoping for maximum points against rival Caps United at the National Sports Stadium.
Platinum were held to a 2-2 home draw by Dongo Sawmill in their opening league match last Saturday, and need to quickly rebound, albeit against a more difficult opponent.
That performance at Mandava by Pure Platinum Play was not convincing and coach Norman Mapeza blamed tiredness after a long haul trip to Tanzania where they played Young Africans in the Caf Confederation Cup.
Platinum will welcome back Wisdom Mutasa from the Under 23 side while Ronald Pfumbidzai is also available for the Green Machine after missing out on the opener due to national duty.
Mapeza knows the importance of this match and has refused to release Zambian international Aaron Katebe for Chipolopolo’s friendly match against Rwanda tomorrow.
According to reports from Zambia, manager Lusekelo Kamwambi told the Times of Zambia that the defender was unavailable for the Sunday friendly.
“Katebe is out because Platinum are delaying to release him but we have players from the Under-23 who have joined camp,” Kamwambi said.
Platinum and Caps have traded heavy blows since Platinum won promotion into the top-flight in 2011. In that first season under Rahman Gumbo, Platinum managed two draws 2-2 and 1-1 before Caps completed a double the following season winning 3-1 and 2-1.
In 2013, Caps won the first match 2-1 in Harare before the reverse fixture ended in a 2-2 draw.
Last season, Platinum plucked four points from the Green Machine winning 2-1 at Mandava before forcing a 0-0 draw at the National Sports Stadium. A total of 22 goals have been scored in the eight matches the two teams have met.
Caps have only finished once above Platinum since 2011, and that was achieved last year when they ended the season on third position with 53 points while the Zvishavane-based side was fourth, two points below.
In 2011, Platinum finished second on the log, tied on 58 points as Dynamos while Caps were sixth. The following season, Platinum ended in seventh position with Caps three places down the ladder in 10th. In 2013, Platinum were fourth while Caps came fifth.
