BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
HARARE giants Dynamos have received a major boost ahead of their Castle Lager Premiership (PSL) tie against Hwange at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday following news that team captain Edward Sadomba has resumed training and is in line for selection.
The veteran striker missed the Harare giants’ season opener against newboys Mushowani Stars last week after sustaining a knock at training.
Congolese sensation Ngandu Mangala, who scored the two goals for the Glamour Boys limped off the pitch late on with a suspected groin problem, but has also started training.
“Both Sadomba and Mangala have resumed light training. However, we are not yet certain whether they will play on Sunday because they are still being monitored. We will be in a position to know on Thursday (today),” DeMbare gaffer Lloyd Chigowe said yesterday.
The pair is key to Dynamos’ quest for the championship this term and should they be certified fit to play, it would be good news to the team’s supporters.
They showed a glimpse of their destructive potential when they combined to destroy Caps United in a Charity Cup match a few weeks ago, scoring a goal each.
Mangala carried that pre-season form into the first game of the campaign, with a sublime brace, and Dynamos will be desperate to have the two players fit for the Sunday match.
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The bad news in the camp though is that the club’s foreign contingent that includes Ghanaian Robert Sackey, Cameroonians Herve Vincent Mbega and Ngahan Claude Junior are still to be cleared to play locally.
From the foreign stars on its books, only Mangala has been featuring for the club as he has been resident in Zimbabwe since 2010 and has been playing for several clubs in the lower divisions before he was signed from Green Fuel at the start of the season.
Chigowe said the foreign players had not yet been cleared to play and pointed out that it might take some time because the players would now have to return to their home countries to formalise immigration processes.
He said Sackey had already returned to Ghana to sort out the documents, while Cameroonians Claude Junior and Mbega are expected to leave this week.
Nevertheless, Chigowe said their absence will not have a big effect because the team has enough arsenal for this year’s campaign.
“It might be some time before the foreign players can start playing. I am told they are supposed to return to their home countries and have fingerprints taken. Already Robert Sackey has returned to Ghana and the Cameroonians should be leaving this week. This will, however, not affect our preparations for the match. We are treating them (Hwange) just like any other PSL team. We don’t underestimate them. Any team that is in the PSL is strong enough to beat any other and we have been working hard at training,” Chigowe said.
DeMbare had a disastrous campaign last year, ending up fighting relegation and Chigowe, who rescued the team, is expecting an improved start to the season and has lofty ambitions this term.
However, Hwange has often given them problems in the past and will have to roll up their sleeves if they are to secure maximum points.
The coal miners are buoyant after overcoming Yadah FC 2-0 at the Colliery in their season opener on Sunday.
