Dynamos, Harare City lock horns in Uhuru Cup

Sport
INJURY-HIT Dynamos will be hoping to overcome their crisis and beat Harare City in the Uhuru Cup semi-final at Rufaro Stadium this afternoon.

INJURY-HIT Dynamos will be hoping to overcome their crisis and beat Harare City in the Uhuru Cup semi-final at Rufaro Stadium this afternoon.

ALBERT MARUFU Sports reporter

DeMbare, who two weeks ago beat Highlanders to bag the Bob 90 trophy, will be missing the services of captain Murape Murape, Tawanda Muparati, Farai Mupasiri and Sydney Linyama due to injuries. However, team manager Richard Chihoro believes the team has enough ammunition to win the derby on their way to successfully defending the trophy they won last year.

“Cup games are tricky, but it is my hope that we will win the game. We just want to start from where we left-two weeks ago when we beat Highlanders in the Bob 90 final. We will win in spite of the injuries because we have a large pool of players at our disposal,” he said.

Chihoro said they were expecting a backlash from their former striker Francesco Zekumbawire who has something to prove to his former paymasters.

Zekumbawire arrived at Dynamos last season amid so much expectation, but injuries dogged his stay resulting in the termination of his contract . Harare City has since signed him.

“We are aware of the threat he poses if he plays. He is a good player who was just unfortunate at Dynamos because of injuries. However, we know how to neutralise him and I am sure at the end, we will win the game,” he said.

Chihoro’s confidence might be stemming from the exciting form currently being exhibited by new signings Masimba Mambare, Walter Mukanga and Ronald Chitiyo.

The three have been exciting in the few matches they have played for the “Glamour Boys” and would be eager to add a piece of silverware to the Bob 90 they won two weeks ago. Striker Simba Sithole, who is still to recover his goalscoring touch, will be hoping to pick it this afternoon.

Harare City coach Bigboy Mawiwi, whose side took the title fight to the wire last season only to lose it on the final day of the season after falling to Caps United, expressed confidence they will win today’s tie.

“We are ready for our first game of the season. We are aware of the fact that we will be playing the reigning champions. They will also be eager to retain the trophy. We will field our best side as we also want to reach the final,” he said.

The “City fathers”, who will be without Silas Songani who is now based in Denmark, still have Nathan Ziwini, Crispen Dickson, David Kutyauripo and William Manondo.