DEFENDING Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Dynamos and title-chasing Caps United have two defining games this Wednesday when they engage FC Platinum and Chicken Inn respectively.
WELLINGTON TONI SPORTS EDITOR
Dynamos lead the standings with 42 points, but would be the first to admit their current form has not been inspiring after a 2-4 mauling by Hwange and a dour goalless draw against Monomotapa in the league race.
While they have dominated FC Platinum in league and cup matches between 2011 and 2012, this season has been different as the Zvishavane-based side picked up a point in a thrilling 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at Rufaro Stadium.
With the match at Mandava — where Dynamos have not lost in the last two seasons and Platinum being under the Harare giants’ former coach Lloyd Mutasa — there is no doubt, this will be the game of the week.
Platinum are fourth on the log with 39 points and barring any major disaster in the other matches involving second-placed Highlanders and Tripple B and third-placed Harare City and Black Mambas, Mutasa’s side could be log leaders come end of Wednesday.
Chicken Inn (36 points) will battle Caps (36 points) in part four of their tussle this season after they met in the Mbada Diamonds Cup at Ascot Stadium in Gweru with the Green Machine prevailing 2-1 to reach the last four.
In the reverse fixture, Tendai Ndoro scored the solitary goal for the GameCox when they beat Caps at Luveve in May to follow up on their 3-2 win in the NetOne Charity Shield final at Mandava Stadium in March.
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Second-placed Highlanders (41 points) should have no problem in dispatching 15th-placed Tripple B at Barbourfields on Wednesday with new find Gabriel Nyoni on fire although complacency has destroyed many a team’s ambitions in the past.
Harare City on 41 points, will face Black Mambas (on 11th position with 28 points from 23 matches) facing relegation.
The venue is Rufaro, now nicknamed the “Cat Stadium” after a black cat strutted its stuff on the pitch before Silas Songani scored a stunning free-kick to hand Harare City a 1-0 win over Monomotapa in the first round of the Mbada Diamonds Cup recently.
Whether the cat had emerged from the drainage or not — probably having been scared by the police guard dogs — is neither here nor there.
This is African football and the realities of black magic that exist within it cannot be easily cast aside.
We are told South Africa cannot qualify for major tournaments or win the Africa Cup of Nations because they did not pay an inyanga R90 000 owed to him.
Urine sprinkling does the trick for some clubs, salt douses its potency, players should not greet each other with open hands, but fists and that females are not allowed near some club’s dressing rooms.
That aside, City has the chance to top the standings once again should Dynamos and Highlanders falter in their assignments.
Fixtures Tomorrow: Monomotapa v Triangle (Gwanzura) Wednesday: Harare City v Black Mambas (Rufaro), Motor Action v How Mine (Motor Action Sports Club), Caps United v Chicken Inn (NSS), Hwange v Shabanie Mine (Colliery), FC Platinum v Dynamos (Mandava), Black Rhinos v Buffaloes (Rimuka), Highlanders v Tripple B (Barbourfields) Saturday October 19: Chicken Inn v Hwange (Luveve), Black Mambas v Caps United (Morris Depot) Sunday October 20: Shabanie Mine v Monomotapa (Maglas), How Mine v Harare City (Luveve),m Buffaloes v Motor Action (Sakubva), Black Rhinos v Highlanders (Rimuka), Triangle v FC Platinum (Gibbo), Dynamos v Tripple B (Rufaro)
