DYNAMOS have struggled for fluency in the last six matches in which they have won just one game and coach David Mandigora is feeling the heat as he faces arch-rivals Highlanders in a potentially explosive reverse Castle Lager Premiership football match at Barbourfields on Sunday.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA/FORTUNE MBELE
The defending champions have drawn five of their last six matches against Tsholotsho (0-0), Triangle (1-1), ZPC Kariba (1-1)including back-to-back (1-1 and 0-0) draws against Hwange — statistics which have seen them swapping positions with How Mine who dislodged them from third position.
Dynamos are now on fourth position on the league table with 28 points, two adrift of log leaders Chicken Inn. Should they lose to Highlanders on Sunday and FC Platinum win away to Buffaloes, they will surrender fourth position to the platinum miners, who have a superior goal difference, and drop further to fifth position.
Dynamos’ only win in the last six matches was a 3-2 victory over Highlanders at Rufaro in a match marred by a questionable refereeing decision that eventually claimed the scalp of first assistant referee Bongani Gadzikwa for disallowing what appeared a legitimate goal by Highlanders towards the end.
Gadzikwa was suspended by the referees committee for denying Highlanders a genuine goal ruling that Edmore Muzanenhamo was in an offside position when he scored.
And as the country’s biggest football teams meet again, Mandigora admitted yesterday he was feeling the pressure, but maintained he was still on track to winning the championship.
“Both teams will be under pressure. I predict a tougher match than the first meeting. We beat them at Rufaro and they have a point to make. They have not beaten us for a long time and we also want to maintain that dominance and they also want to win,” said Mandigora, who is attending a Fifa fitness coaching course in Harare that ends today. He will be in charge though on Sunday.
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Highlanders have failed to beat Dynamos in a league match since 2006 — the year they last won the championship and Bosso coach Bongani Mafu will be looking to end that poor run.
Bosso like their rivals have also won one match a 2-0 victory over WhaWha in the last six matches drawing against Platinum (2-2), How Mine (1-1) and the back-to-back draws against Triangle(1-1 and 0-0). They are in ninth position on the league table with 21 points after 16 rounds of matches.
“The atmosphere is very good in camp. We are tired of this every year we are not able to beat Dynamos. We are very happy and I can see some radiance in the boys. It is a special pressure when you play Dynamos. The second half of the season has been good with the spirit of working together and the unity of purpose has come through. We now understand each other better with the boys,” Mafu said yesterday.
