City search for first win against Dynamos

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO City will be searching for their first win against giants Dynamos who they face tomorrow at Barbourfields Stadium.

City, who made their Premiership debut in 2016 are facing DeMbare for the eighth time, having lost five out of the seven encounters and played to two draws.

In their debut season, City were beaten 1-0 at home before sharing spoils in a 1-1 draw in Harare. In 2017, Dynamos won a seven-goal thriller 4-3 in Harare before posting a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture.

DeMbare won the 2018 meetings by an identical 2-1 score line. City were then relegated from the Premiership and went on to bounce back after winning the 2019 Zifa Southern Region Division One title.

Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, no football was played in 2020, returning last year.

City drew the first leg against Dynamos 1-1 with former captain Vincent Moyo scoring in the last minute of the game to cancel out a King Nadolo earlier strike. Moyo left the local authority bankrolled club during the midseason transfer window to join crosstown rivals Chicken Inn.

But tomorrow, City coach Farai Tawachera believes the squad understands that only a victory can keep their survival chances alive as they will be left with an away trip to ZPC Kariba, return home to host Harare City and cap the season with an away trip to Black Rhinos.

“We’re not thinking about registering our first win against Dynamos but our focus is on playing our game, try to get maximum points and see where it takes us but we long for a strong season’s finish,” said Tawachera.

City are five points away from safety, sitting second from the bottom of the table with 27 points.

They head into the clash with Dynamos with their confidence high following a 1-0 win against Bulawayo Chiefs in their last league encounter.

Dynamos, who make their final trip of the 2021/22 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season to Bulawayo are second on the table with 56 points, 11 points adrift of leaders FC Platinum who need two points from four games to win their fourth consecutive title.

DeMbare picked maximum points in two out of the three Bulawayo visits this season, beating Chiefs 2-0 and clobbering Chicken Inn 3-0.

The Glamour Boys had their match against Highlanders forfeited on a 3-0 score line after their supporters caused the game to be abandoned, going berserk to uproot the goal with Bosso leading 1-0.

Without suspended pair of midfielder Cedric Chinomona and Solomon Sithole, City’s hopes will be pinned on skipper Melikhaya Ncube, Welcome Ndiweni, Crispen Machisi and Genius Mutungamiri as well as veteran striker Obidiah Tarumbwa.

Mzilikazi-bred teenager Junior Makunike who scored Dynamos’ second goal in their 3-0 win against Chicken Inn at Barbourfields Stadium in July, skipper Patson Jaure, utility player Godknows Murwira, striker Tinashe Makanda, midfielder Keith Murera, Shadreck Nyahwa, Brandon Moyo and Tinashe Makanda are some of the players expected to carry the day for DeMbare.-@ZililoR