DYNAMOS’ Mbada Diamonds Cup defence begins this afternoon with a first-round clash against Tripple B at a neutral Gibbo Stadium, Triangle.
MICHAEL MADYIRA SPORTS REPORTER
Enjoying a stranglehold on the richest competition in Zimbabwean football, Dynamos will arrive at Gibbo Stadium aiming to make the first step towards a third-straight Mbada Cup.
Just like last season, they begin their campaign against a team almost certain of relegation.
Relegated Quelaton nearly embarrassed them last term following a regulation time stalemate, but Dynamos earned a fortunate passage into the quarter-finals courtesy of a penalty shoot-out.
Having already missed on the BancABC Sup8r Cup from which they were shockingly eliminated by eventual champions Shabanie Mine, coach Kalisto Pasuwa is not complacent.
“We have been working on the offensive aspect of our game and we need to be resilient throughout the match and avoid what happened against Shabanie Mine when we were leading, but went on to lose,” Pasuwa said.
“There are no small teams in football and we need to be positive as we go into this match. Tripple B are a good side. We beat them in the league, but I realised that they are strong in terms of mobility and fluent passing, but they tend to lack concentration in terms of defending,” he said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Defenders Oscar Mchapa and Augustine Mbara have been declared fit to play this afternoon following minor knocks earlier in the week.
While riding on a clean bill of health in his squad, Pasuwa will, however, be worried about the potential energy-sapping effects posed by the searing heat of Chiredzi where they dumped Buffaloes out of the BancABC Cup.
Dynamos will be facing their former sons, striker Aleck Marime and defender Timire Mamvura, and the former is among the league’s top goal-scorers with 10 goals.
Just like his mentor, steely defender Partson Jaure is still haunted by the Shabanie Mine catastrophe.
“I am not looking at individuals, but Tripple B as a team. Maybe Marime is worried that there is Jaure,” Jaure said.
“The coach has told us that that we should not be complacent because teams that are said to be small are very troublesome. So we will play according to what the coach told us.”
Tripple B are second from the bottom on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League log standings.
Their coach Peter Manoti said they were motivated by the prospect of facing much-fancied opponents like Dynamos.
“We have no injuries because God is on our side and that is an advantage we have. Another plus for us is that we are comfortable playing under hot weather conditions like we will face in Chiredzi. Playing Dynamos will also be a plus on our side because everyone wants to play against a big team, so we have realistic chances of winning,” Manoti said.
Elsewhere, Highlanders’ drought for a major trophy in recent years would be spurring Kelvin Kaindu’s charges against Triangle in another first-round match at Barboufields.
“Triangle came from Division One and I have noted that they have since established themselves as a strong side. They are not going to be easy for us, but we will win. Lack of cups will give us pressure, but we just have to be focused,” Kaindu said.
“We have been having problems with our finishing this season, but we have been working hard on that and we hope for an improvement.”
Key players Bruce Kangwa, Peter Moyo, Bekhimpilo Ncube and Heritani Masuku were expected to pass late fitness tests last night.
Another giant Caps United face Motor Action as both sides seek an improvement in their fortunes.
Other fixtures How Mine FC v Black Rhinos FC (Barboufields Stadium SS9 3pm) Highlanders FC v Triangle United FC (Barbourfields Stadium SS9 3pm) Dynamos FC v Tripple B FC (Gibbo Stadium 3pm) FC Platinum v Hwange FC (Colliery Stadium 3pm) Harare City FC v Monomotapa FC (Rufaro Stadium 3pm)
