VETERAN Bantu Rovers defender Tapiwa Kumbuyani has warned resurgent Dynamos that they can only underestimate them at their own peril when the two sides clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the National Sports Stadium this evening.
BY FORTUNE MBELE/TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
Bantu Rovers’ last tasted victory when they beat Yadah FC early last month, their second win of the season, and their last best performance was when they held table-toppers Ngezi Platinum at Baobab Stadium a few weeks back.
They have only won two matches, drawn two and lost 11 in 15 encounters, but Kumbuyani yesterday said anything could happen this evening despite the bad spell they are going through.
“We go there wearing the underdog tag. We don’t have that much pressure, but obviously, we want to get a positive result,” he said. “Dynamos have been scoring in their past two games, so we need to tighten our defence so that we do not concede tomorrow.
“This is a game of football and if Dynamos take us lightly, they will have themselves to blame after the game. We are going there to perform and we will be at our best so that we get a positive result. Football is football, anything can happen.”
Bantu Rovers, with a paltry eight points, go into the game without head coach Methembe Ndlovu, who also missed the home defeat to Chapungu on Sunday, after he flew to the United Kingdom after the draw against Ngezi Platinum on other business.
Ndlovu has previously missed seven matches while away in the United States and his assistant, Joseph Sibindi, takes charge against Dynamos, who have won five matches in a row, shooting to position four on the log table after a bad start to the season.
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Bantu Rovers will be hoping that skipper Bukhosi Sibanda, the league’s leading scorer, continues with his scoring prowess, while Kumbuyani and impressive young Shadreck Nyahwa take care of business at the back with Dumisani Ndlovu, who was due to pass a late fitness test.
For Harare giants Dynamos, the match against struggling Bantu Rovers tonight presents them with a perfect opportunity to go on top of the log for the first time this season should they collect maximum points.
The Glamour Boys had a sluggish start to the campaign, but coach Lloyd Mutasa has suddenly turned things around, bringing them into the picture for the championship they last won under Kalisto Pasuwa almost three years ago.
A 4-3 victory over Bulawayo City on Sunday lifted them to fourth place with 26 points from 13 matches, just two points adrift of log leaders Ngezi Platinum.
Suddenly, there is the belief in the Dynamos family that this could be their year.
Dynamos, though, will be handicapped when they face Bantu Rovers because one of their top forwards, Emmanuel Mandiranga, is suspended for the match for accumulating three yellow cards in previous matches.
The Glamour Boys will also be without influential skipper Ocean Mushure, who is with the national team at the Cosafa Cup tournament in South Africa.
Also unavailable are forward Quality Kangadze and midfielder Gift Saunyama, who are still nursing injuries.
DeMbare will be banking on the exploits of Cameroonian striker Christian Epoupa, who has netted five goals in the campaign thus far. Epoupa was also on target in the defeat of Bulawayo City on Sunday, while Denver Mukamba appears to have rediscovered his touch once again.
