daniel chigunwe
Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
LLOYD ‘Mablanyo’ Chigowe is set to return to the spotlight this weekend when he leads Harare giants Dynamos in a Chibuku Super Cup quarterfinal tie against rivals FC Platinum at Mandava.
The 59-year-old will have to step into the hot seat for the time being, to fill the void left by head coach Genesis Mangombe who is away in Botswana on national duty.
Mangombe, who was recently appointed one of the two assistant coaches to Portuguese Baltemar Brito in the interim Zimbabwe national team technical set up, was part of the Warriors delegation that left for Gaborone yesterday for an invitational football match against the hosts.
The match, to be played the same day DeMbare are clashing with the platinum miners at Mandava, is part of the programme to celebrate Botswana’s 57th anniversary.
And Chigowe yesterday took the Glamour Boys through their paces in preparation for the big game.
“Obviously Chigowe will be in charge of this game and has the backing of everyone to do well,” said Dynamos chairman, Moses Maunganidze.
“He is part of the team. We believe we have assembled a competent technical team and our side has shown a lot of positivity this year in terms of their play.
“The technical team has put in place a template which these guys are working with, even in the absence of Mangombe. We also have able replacements for the two of our players that are with the national team.”
Obviously, Chigowe has since put behind him the memories of 2019 when he was last at the helm of the Glamour Boys. The ex-BAT Ramblers centreback was unceremoniously kicked out after enduring a tormenting first few games of the season.
The upcoming Chibuku Super Cup quarterfinal could help him reconnect with the DeMbare faithful.
The Harare giants will also miss their deadly midfield duo of Tanaka Shandirwa and Donald Mudadi who are part of the Warriors delegation.
DeMbare had wanted the match postponed after three of their players were picked in the Warriors squad. However, skipper Frank Makarati had to be dropped in a compromise deal between ZIFA and the Premier Soccer League, to circumvent a simmering row between the country’s football authorities.
The absence of Mudadi and Shandirwa who, along with Junior Makunike, were part of the midfield trio that destroyed traditional foes CAPS United in the Harare Derby last Sunday, is likely to be felt in the Chibuku Super Cup quarterfinals.
FC Platinum are also handicapped with the unavailability of two of their best players Walter Musona and Brian Banda as they were also selected for the Botswana game.
FC Platinum and Dynamos are no strangers in this competition. In fact, they are meeting for the fourth time since the tournament began in 2014.
The Glamour Boys have one once while the platinum miners emerged victors in the last two premier knockout competition meetings.
“We are preparing for the game against FC Platinum seriously. They are not a small team; they have done well in both the league and in this competition. Of course, the last time we played them in the tournament we lost but that is now in the past.
“As much as we are playing them on their backyard, we are not worried about that fact. The better team on the day will win and I believe we will get our game plan right,” said Maunganidze.
The first time the teams met in this competition was in 2015 when Dynamos won 7-6 on penalties in a closely contested quarterfinal.
The platinum miners got their revenge in 2021 when they held on to a 1-0 semi-final victory courtesy of Innocent Mucheneka’s extra time strike at the National Sports Stadium.
Last year, FC Platinum also beat Dynamos 4-2 on penalties to progress to the Chibuku Super Cup semis, where they were shocked by Herentals.
Another interesting fixture this weekend involves giants Highlanders and CAPS United who will battle for a place in the semi-finals at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Fixtures:
Saturday: FC Platinum v Dynamos (Mandava), Chicken Inn v Black Rhinos (Luveve)
Sunday: Herentals v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Mandava), Highlanders v CAPS United (Barbourfields)
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter