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It’s ours: Mutasa

Sport
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa is not about to write off the Glamour Boys’ title challenge just as yet, despite the team enduring a difficult spell in recent weeks.

DYNAMOS coach Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa is not about to write off the Glamour Boys’ title challenge just as yet, despite the team enduring a difficult spell in recent weeks.

BY HENRY MHARA

The Harare football giants have picked up six points from a possible 18, that has seen them surrendering the top position to Ngezi Platinum Stars and FC Platinum, who are joint leaders with a two-point advantage going into the final four matches.

Their recent dip in form, which culminated in the 2-0 loss to Ngezi Platinum Stars at the weekend, has attracted a lot of criticism for the team.

Former Warriors star Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda has already written the Harare giants out of the race and is tipping Ngezi to win it, while former Highlanders assistant coach Cosmas Zulu has tipped Norman Mapeza’s FC Platinum.

Mutasa though, is refusing to rule out Dynamos who need to collect all the available 12 points to have a chance of winning the title – even that may not be enough.

With the two leading teams still to play each other on the penultimate weekend of the season, Mutasa is refusing to throw in the towel just as yet.

“Our chances are still bright. We are just one win away from the top two teams and people should remember that the two teams are still to meet and if they draw and we win our games, then we will be back on top. The most important thing is to win our matches and if we can do that, we will win the league. The players want to prove people wrong. They want to show people that they have the pedigree to recover and go all the way. And honestly, I don’t know why people would feel that we don’t have the pedigree, when we are just two points behind,” he said.

Mutasa said he was pleased by the way his players had responded on their return to training this week after the demoralising defeat away to Ngezi on Saturday.

“There is some freshness in the atmosphere at training. The players’ body language when they returned to training on Tuesday was different. They showed a spirit of togetherness and the will to fight on. Where it’s coming from, I don’t know. They look like people who want to collect all the remaining 12 points. In the past few games, some players had developed a tendency to play for themselves, to get personal glory and recognition over the team, but the approach has changed,” he said. “Senior players like Obey Mwerahari and Carlos Rusere have said they want to play, even if they are not fully recovered. They have seen that something is amiss and they feel they are letting others down. And that is the attitude we want as a technical team. Everyone has stepped up and I hope the atmosphere remains like this.”

In a bid to root out the negative ambiance in the team, Mutasa on Wednesday kicked bad boys – Denver Mukamba and Lincoln Zvasiya – out of the squad, after they went AWOL last week before resurfacing this week.

The two were ordered to write reports explaining their conduct, with their future at the club looking increasingly bleak. Mukamba and Zvasiya will miss the team’s crucial match against Chapungu on Sunday at the National Sports Stadium, a start of their final four matches of the season.

Dynamos could be fourth on the log standings and five points behind the leaders by the time they kick-off their next match if fourth-placed Chicken Inn, two points behind Dynamos, beat Tsholotsho today and FC Platinum beat ZPC Kariba at home tomorrow. After Chapungu, Dynamos travel to Bulawayo City and Bantu Rovers before a home match against Chicken Inn wrap up their campaign. Log leaders Ngezi are away to Bantu Rovers next and host Chicken Inn before travelling to FC Platinum in a potential title decider. They will conclude their season with a home match against Triangle.

After the ZPC Kariba match, FC Platinum travel to Tsholotsho and host Ngezi before playing Chapungu on the last weekend of the season.

Dark-horse Chicken Inn’s remaining fixtures also include home matches against Tsholotsho and Chapungu.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matchday 31 fixtures

Today: How Mine v Caps United (Luveve), Chicken Inn v Tsholotsho (Barbourfields)

Tomorrow: Yadah v Bulawayo City (National Sports Stadium), FC Platinum v ZPC Kariba (Mandava), Black Rhinos v Shabanie Mine (Morris Depot)

Sunday: Bantu Rovers v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Luveve), Hwange v Highlanders (Colliery), Triangle United v Harare City (Gibbo), Dynamos v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium)