Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub
DYNAMOS technical director Aristica Cioaba has brushed aside the challenges that rocked the club this week, insisting the Glamour Boys will be fully focused when they square off against old rivals CAPS United in a potentially explosive Castle Lager Premier Soccer Derby this afternoon.
The Romanian returned from a short trip to his homeland to find the club engulfed in turmoil ahead of one of the biggest fixtures on the domestic football calendar.
Boardroom wrangles once again dominated the headlines, while a training-ground altercation involving midfielder Nathan Mutasa and members of the technical staff added to the turbulence in the DeMbare camp.
However, Cioaba believes the distractions have been dealt with and has challenged his players to channel their energy towards securing victory over their rivals.
“All week the media has been talking about this game because it is the Derby,” said Cioaba.
“That alone should be enough motivation for the players. We need to go into the game with the right attitude and spirit, work hard for the team and make sure we do not disappoint our supporters.”
Dynamos head into the clash seeking revenge after suffering a 2-1 defeat in the first leg played in front of a strong 25 000 paying crowd earlier this season.
With both teams having fallen out of the championship race, attention has shifted to the battle for a top-four finish.
The Glamour Boys occupy fifth place on the table with 46 points, three ahead of sixth-placed CAPS United.
Cioaba believes concentration and discipline will be key in a fixture often decided by fine margins.
“Normally the difference with the Derby is that the players need to concentrate from the first minute to the 90th minute.
“In the Derby, there is no room for any personal mistake. We need to concentrate on our plan, our tactics and do the job for the team, and win the game.
“I understand the first leg we lost 2-1 and we need to fight for the three points. This is the biggest motivation for us,” said Cioaba.
The 55-year-old coach spent much of the week in Romania after being granted leave to attend to family matters and only returned to Zimbabwe on Thursday night.
Despite the off-field drama, Cioaba appeared relaxed at yesterday’s pre-match press conference, accompanied by midfielder Talkmore Pio and goalkeeper Tatenda Makoni, who has recovered from injury.
The veteran coach also addressed the issues surrounding Mutasa, whose suspension from training has since been lifted.
According to Cioaba, the midfielder missed a training session without informing the technical team, triggering disciplinary action.
“For me it is very simple. If a player does not come to training or does not follow our programme, he cannot play,” said Cioaba.
“It is about discipline and it applies to everyone.
“This is according to me as the coach. Previously, I gave you an example of Moses (Demera) not coming to training for four days because he had a family problem.
“For the next two games he was not in the squad. The player understood and after he was ready physically, he came back and I gave him the chance to play.”
While insisting there is no personal conflict with Mutasa, Cioaba remained non-committal on whether the midfielder would feature in today’s encounter.
“I don’t have a problem with Nathan and all the people know. This is a matter of discipline for the whole team; if you’re not coming to the training, what can I do?
“Maybe tomorrow he is in the plan or not in the plan, Nathan understands.
“All the players are the same for me. I don’t treat players differently. I don’t know what people are saying about the issue but I’m saying the truth. Everything is fine, maybe he can play or maybe he cannot play,” said Cioaba.
Dynamos have received a boost ahead of the derby, with the majority of the squad available for selection, including goalkeeper Makoni who missed the 1-0 defeat to Chicken Inn in their last outing.
However, left back Abel Gwatidzo will miss out due to suspension.
While Dynamos have endured a turbulent week, CAPS United have enjoyed a relatively smooth build-up to the showdown, despite missing midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa who was injured in off-field altercation.
With pride, bragging rights and a place in the top four at stake, another big crowd is expected at Rufaro, where the match between the legends from the two rivals is expected to warm-up the stage as curtain raisers for the fans’ entertainment.
Makepekepe are buoyed by an unbeaten run of five matches in all competitions and coach Takesure Chiragwi has urged his players to uphold the momentum.
“CAPS United is not a small team, it’s a big team that always plays and competes, and our desire is to make sure that every game that we play, we have to play and win because of the team that we are working with.
“It’s a very big brand that needs to be protected in terms of its reputation. But, at the end of the day, football is football. We also need to respect the results that come our way because it’s a competition,” said Chiragwi.
What the players said:
Talkmore Pio (Dynamos)
“Yes, as we know this game is not just a game, it’s a Derby. So, we been motivating each and every person. This is the game that will turn boys to men. We have to rise to the occasion and fight for the maximum points. We need maximum points to turn the nation blue. This is a revenge match.
Tatenda Makoni (Dynamos)
“The Derby means everything. It’s a big game, but I think it’s one of the easiest games, because playing against a big team is more tactical than anything else. It’s different from playing against small teams, because small teams come hard on you since they want to be noticed. But these games it’s less pressure, because it’s more tactical, these guys they just want to keep possession. It’s all about discipline as the coach said. It’s all about avoiding making a personal mistake because mistakes decide the game.
Bruce Kangwa (CAPS Utd)
“For me, it really doesn’t matter whether it’s a big game or a small game. My focus is always on my work. But winning the Harare Derby is a great thing. The first game we played, we won it. It was a great thing, but that one is now water under the bridge. We are focussing on the one that is coming on.”
Junior Bunjira (CAPS Utd)
“The team has been preparing well and we intend to win. That’s the main objective and we’ve been working hard towards it. The morale is high in the camp. So, we do intend to win. We need to work hard as a team and achieve the goal. We are promising a good performance and the fans must all come in numbers and support the boys because we are promising a definite win.
Ishmael Wadi (CAPS Utd)
“I think we need to play as a team because it’s a team sport. We need 11 players. So, it’s all about the team. Everyone is happy considering that we are coming from five games now without a defeat. So, I think it’s a motivation for us. Everyone knows that it’s a derby. Anything can happen on the day. So, we just focus on ourselves, to do better on the day.”
Uchizi Vunga (CAPS Utd)
“We are ready for the Derby. Morale is very high in the camp. I can’t promise so many things to our fans, but I just say come and see the Derby. Yeah, I have already played so many derbies in Malawi, but this is my first Harare Derby. So, we will see how it goes.”
