DeMbare date Shabanie

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Mutasa says tasting what it feels like on top of the Castle Lager Premiership table will be a huge motivation for the Glamour Boys when they plunge into a tricky battle against Shabanie Mine at Maglas today. The Harare giants last week took pole position for the first time this season and were yesterday keeping a keen eye on the matches involving Ngezi Platinum, Chicken Inn and FC Platinum who are their main rivals.

But the Glamour Boys have been struggling to get positive results of late with only a point to show from their last two matches. Mutasa is concerned they have not been scoring as much as they should be doing with the former champions relying solely on Cameroonian Joel Christian Ntouba, who will not be available for today’s match because of suspension. In fact, three of his key men — Ntouba, Emmanuel Mandiranga and Denver Mukamba — are set to miss the match this afternoon, joining injured Obey Mwerahari and Carlos Rusere on the sidelines. The duo of Mandiranga and Mukamba has been ruled out by ankle injuries from the Chibuku Super Cup first round tie against Bulawayo City at Rufaro last Sunday.

“The boys are itching to go. We are looking forward to a good result which should keep us at the top. It’s all about maintaining our position in the race,” said Mutasa. “It feels good being up there especially when no one had given these youths a chance to compete. So we have to concentrate on our game and try as much as possible to get the points. “It’s always difficult playing the likes of Shabanie because they usually reserve their best for the big teams. So it’s not easy winning at Maglas but we have to show why we are Dynamos.

“It’s unfortunate Mandiranga was injured in the game against Bulawayo City. Denver as well, he came to training on Monday and again yesterday (Tuesday) but he could not train because his ankle was swollen. So they are out.” Dynamos are currently sitting on 52 points, level with Ngezi Platinum who shot back into the picture with a crucial 2-0 away win at ZPC Kariba yesterday. FC Platinum who were held to a disappointing goalless draw by in-form Yadah at Rufaro.

Mutasa is set to welcome back Cleopas Kapupurika, Tawanda Macheke and Quality Kangadzi to strengthen the attack that has been destabilised by the unavailability of Epoupa and Mukamba. Shabanie Mine are desperate for points to survive relegation. They sit fourth-from-the-bottom with 26 points. Their coach Takesure Chiragwi believes his charges would be able to reproduce the form that ended DeMbare’s six-match winning streak with a 1-1 draw in Harare when the teams met in the reverse fixture at the National Sports Stadium.

Shabanie Mine are in high spirits after collecting four points in their last two league games against Ngezi Platinum and Chapungu and then beating ZPC Kariba in the Chibuku Super Cup first round. “It is going to be a very interesting game of football as we both want maximum points, we are desperate to win the game to fight against relegation while they want to win so that they have a good chance of winning the title.