NEWLY-appointed Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya faces another test when he leads his charges against Lloyd Mutasa’s WhaWha in the quarter-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday.
Sports Reporter
Ndiraya was thrown into the deep end last week after the club hierarchy decided to go separate ways with veteran coach David Mandigora following a sluggish start to the Premier Soccer League campaign.
But he had the worst start in his debut match against Highlanders after his charges were beaten in the Commander ZNA Charities final 1-0 courtesy of a strike by Obadiah Tarumbwa.
Highlanders had failed to defeat Dynamos in a cup competition since 2011 when they beat them in the Independence Trophy final. They are also still to beat them in a league meeting since 2006. Ndiraya became the first coach on Sunday to get Highlanders to break the long-standing record.
The unassuming Dynamos coach, however, believes the defeat was a result of “a few mistakes” and that the Zimbabwean champions can recover from that loss.
He hopes to start winning as he faces Mutasa for the right to play in the semi-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup.
However, Mutasa has a proud record against Dynamos as a coach. He has lost just once since he started his coaching career — “a controversial” 1-0 defeat in a league match at the National Sports Stadium last year when he was still in charge of FC Platinum.
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The ex-Dynamos midfielder is also the first coach to lead FC Platinum to victory over Dynamos overcoming them 2-0 at Mandava courtesy of strikes by Elvis Moyo and Charles Sibanda.
As he faces his former team at Rufaro on Sunday in a battle for the right to qualify for the semi-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup, he has got the psychological advantage. He will be seeking to maintain a good record against the Harare giants. Fixtures:
Friday: Harare City v Buffaloes (Rufaro) Saturday: Chicken Inn v Hwange (Luveve Stadium), FC Platinum vs Dongo Sawmill (Mandava Stadium), Chapungu v Flame Lily (Ascot Stadium), Dynamos v Whawha (Rufaro Stadium),
Sunday: Triangle United v Tsholotsho (Gibbo Stadium), How Mine v Highlanders (Barbourfields Stadium), Caps United FC vs ZPC Kariba (NSS).
