×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Rod under repair

Sport
Dynamos chief striker, Rodreck Mutuma is a major doubt for the team’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash with Tsholotsho tomorrow, as coach Lloyd Mutasa confronts probably the biggest challenge of his coaching career with four matches to prove his worth.

Dynamos chief striker, Rodreck Mutuma is a major doubt for the team’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash with Tsholotsho tomorrow, as coach Lloyd Mutasa confronts probably the biggest challenge of his coaching career with four matches to prove his worth.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

Dynamos striker Rodrick Mutuma controls the ball under the watchful eye of  Caps United defender Stephen Makatuka at Rufaro Stadium yesterday

Mutuma has not trained all week after picking up an injury in the team’s loss to FC Platinum at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.

Mutasa has admitted that his team’s problems, where they have picked just five points from six matches, have been in the final third where the strike force has been blunt.

DeMbare have recorded just two goals in the campaign so far, with Mutuma scoring one of them in their 2-1 win over Mutare City Rovers at Sakubva.

While the former champions have struggled for penetration, Mutuma has always looked the likeliest source of goals and his absence would come as a major blow to Mutasa and his ambitions.

Dynamos will be looking to re-launch a campaign that started off on a bad note, as they are already trailing log leaders, FC Platinum by 11 points.

Team manager, Richard Chihoro yesterday confirmed Mutuma’s injury.

“Mutuma is injured and the doctors have been attending to him,” he said.

“He got injured during the match against FC Platinum and he has not been training this week. I don’t think he will make it.”

Dynamos, who need all the firepower they can summon considering their desperation for points, have Evans Gwekwerere to look up to for inspiration.

The veteran striker missed the defeat to FC Platinum due to injury, but has been training this week.

This week, Dynamos have been assessing former Monomotapa and TP Mazembe striker Darryl Nyandoro, with a view to adding him to their squad.

While that process carries on, Mutasa needs to find solutions to sharpen his strike force and in the absence of Mutuma, he has the option of thrusting Richard Kawondera into the starting line-up Mutasa was given five games to prove himself after DeMbare parted ways with Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva last week, and will be looking for his first win after he started off with a defeat to FC Platinum — their third loss in six starts, which plunged Dynamos to 15th place on the log standings.

Tsholotsho, under the guidance of Lizwe Sweswe, shocked Harare City with a 1-0 victory on Saturday at Rufaro Stadium and they will be looking to continue with that momentum when they take on DeMbare.

Last term, Tsholotsho drew twice against Dynamos.

Fixtures Tomorrow: FC Platinum v Border Strikers (Mandava), Tsholotsho v Dynamos (Barbourfields), Chapungu v Ngezi Platinum (Ascot) and Caps United v ZPC Kariba (Rufaro). Sunday: Mutare City Rovers v Chicken Inn (Sakubva), Hwange v How Mine (Colliery) and Highlanders v Harare City (Barbourfields)