BY HENRY MHARA
DYNAMOS could not have picked a better time to face title challengers Chicken Inn, who are going through a turbulent run in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, but the Harare giants’ coach Tonderai Ndiraya has warned his players against complacency.
The two teams face off at Rufaro Stadium in the headline match of the weekend round of fixtures and it is the home team that will have the more reasons to be confident going into the match.
Striker Simba Nhivi resumed full training this week, and is available for selection, but it is the form of Chicken Inn that is giving Dynamos optimism.
Having drawn against strugglers Yadah and TelOne, their defeat to ZPC Kariba has seen them pick just two points out of a possible nine in the last three matches.
In fact, the Joey Antipas-coached side has won just once in their last five matches, losing three on the trot, which has jeopardised their title chances.
Yet Ndiraya has urged his players to disregard Chicken Inn’s recent woes, as Dynamos also look to return to winning ways after they were held 2-2 by Hwange in their last match.
“We expect Chicken Inn to be a changed side because it has been some time now since they have been really getting their act together. They may want to get back into their groove at the big stage, and what an opportunity for their players to raise their game before our fans. We are expecting a different Chicken Inn; a different team from the one that played Yadah and ZPC Kariba. We feel this will be a different one in terms of tactics and physical presence,” Ndiraya said.
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“I feel that physiologically, they will be prepared for this match. They really want to get a double over us, but similarly, we don’t want to allow them to do that and that is what is inspiring us. We are going to face a Chicken Inn side keen on getting their title fight back on track. We are fully aware of all those factors and are prepared for all that.”
But Chicken Inn, for all their troubles in recent times, remain just four points behind pacesetters FC Platinum, with a game in hand. There are 15 rounds of matches still to play in the league.
Dynamos are seven points behind the pacesetters and could close the gap to four points.
