HARARE giants Dynamos have welcomed the international break, as the Warriors play a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, saying this will afford their injured players time to recover and freshen up ahead of their potentially explosive home tie against Castle Lager Premier Soccer League log leaders Ngezi Platinum.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The Lloyd Mutasa-coached side have three of their regulars Christian Ntouba, Masimba Mambare and Gift Saunyama injured. The trio missed the team’s trip to Tsholotsho on Saturday.
Their absence though did not hamper the team’s recent good run, as the Glamour Boys managed a 1-0 win, a result that saw them knitting three wins for the first time this season, following a sluggish start to the campaign.
Before the weekend win, Dynamos had edged Harare City 1-0 before thumping fancied ZPC Kariba 3-1, results that have given them hope in their championship bid.
While they managed to beat struggling Tsholotsho even without some of their stars, team manager, Richard Chihoro is aware that the task ahead, starting with their next match against Ngezi Platinum, would need all their arsenal in place.
He feels the break will give those injured time to recuperate.
“We are actually happy to have this break. I don’t think it will affect our rhythm. If anything, it will afford the players time to recover. We have Christian and Saunyama, who are still injured and this is an opportunity for them to recover, as we prepare for our next match against Ngezi Platinum. We are continuing with our training programme and we hope everyone will be fit by the time we play Ngezi,” Chihoro said.
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Ntoupa is struggling with thigh and shoulder injuries, while defensive midfielder Saunyama has an ankle injury and Mambare has a recurring knee problem.
Dynamos last won the league under Kalisto Pasuwa, who lifted a record four successive championships. Mutasa was given the mandate to lead the Glamour Boys this season and has been rebuilding the team with a mixture of youth and experience as he seeks to mount a serious challenge for the championship.
The Glamour Boys finished a distant fifth position in the championship race last season following their failed experiment with Portuguese coach, Paulo Jorge Silva.
There is, however, a glimmer of hope that the Harare giants can lay their hands on the ultimate prize in domestic football under Mutasa this season, especially following the team’s recent results.
