adminEddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
CHAMPIONS Dynamos and last year’s finalists Ngezi Platinum Stars are set to make belated entries into the Chibuku Super Cup where they need to negotiate tricky first-round obstacles in rescheduled fixtures set for today and tomorrow.
The matches were postponed when the tournament took off as DeMbare and Ngezi were involved in the Confederation of African Football inter-club competitions.
Ngezi made their Champions League debut, albeit with a brief flirtation with the elite competition as their journey lasted at the first hurdle. Democratic Republic of Congo outfit AS Maniema stopped Ngezi in their tracks, via a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win after both sides had been deadlocked 0-0 in two preliminary round legs. Dynamos are still involved in African football with a Confederation Cup second round task beckoning against Orapa United of Botswana.
Orapa now stand between a ticket to the Confederation Cup and an early exit for Dynamos.
But before they can think of the assignments against Orapa United Dynamos have domestic duties to fulfil.
DeMbare will begin their defence of the Chibuku Super Cup silverware at Rufaro this afternoon, on the back of a positive run in the Confederation Cup and a morale-boosting Premiership win over Chegutu Pirates at the weekend.
According to interim coach Lloyd Chigowe the win over Chegutu Pirates, although by a slender 1-0 margin, was key in turning around their fortunes at home, where they had not won a match since June 30 when they edged GreenFuel 1-0.
DeMbare are experiencing a transformation under Chigowe, who replaced Genesis Mangombe recently.
His predecessor Mangombe had engraved his name in the annals of DeMbare’s cup history when he led the team to the Chibuku Super Cup last season, ending a decade-long drought for major silverware.
But he could not keep pace in the league marathon this season and was shown the exit recently after losing grip of the Glamour Boys dressing room.
And, things are looking up again for the Glamour Boys.
The Chibuku Super Cup first round clash with ZPC Kariba will provide another relevant test of their resolve after winning two games and drawing as many since Chigowe took over the reins.
“Every team is motivated to win against Dynamos especially now that we are playing in the Confederation Cup, it makes us the team to beat.
“We have another game here at Rufaro. It’s another humdinger because ZPC Kariba will be motivated to play Dynamos,” said Chigowe.
DeMbare will be looking forward to the return of injury-prone midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa.
The Glamour Boys, eager to continue their flirtation with continental football have made the defence of the Chibuku Super Cup a priority. Winners of the Chibuku Super Cup, get the honour of representing Zimbabwe in the Confederation Cup and Dynamos are in eighth place in the league race, it is in the knock-out tournament where they have a realistic chance of bagging a silverware.
But this will be a huge strain on their depth as they are currently the only club in Zimbabwe that is involved in three different competitions.
Chigowe and his men have not thrown in the towel in the Castle Lager championship despite falling 16 points behind log leaders Simba Bhora, albeit with a game in hand, going into the last nine rounds.
DeMbare will within the next two weeks also return to the Confederation Cup trenches when they clash against Orapa United.
Chigowe and his technical team, for whom new assistant coach Joel Luphahla got his PSL licence yesterday, will be looking to rotate players to avoid burnout because of congested fixtures ahead. Although ZPC Kariba have been inconsistent, Dynamos should not expect an easy outing against Newton Chitewe’s men.
The Electricity men have proved competitive in recent matches despite a poor start to the campaign.
They beat Arenel Movers 1-0 and drew 1-1 with FC Platinum in their most recent outings.
ZPC Kariba had appeared on course for an upset win over former champions FC Platinum before conceding an equaliser deep into added time. Premiership kings and last year’s Chibuku Super Cup finalists Ngezi should also not anticipate an easy game against unpredictable Bulawayo Chiefs, who surprised all and sundry when they went all the way and won the cup in 2022.
Ngezi will be without the technical direction of coach Takesure Chiragwi who is away with the Warriors on African Cup of Nations business. Two key players — striker Obriel Chirinda and midfielder Richard Hachiro are also on national team duty in Uganda for the two 2025 AFCON qualifying matches against Kenya and Cameroon.
Chiragwi was recently picked as assistant coach to German expatriate Michael Nees.
His Ngezi deputy Kumbirai Mutiwekuziwa and the long serving Klifton Kadurira will be in charge of the miners tomorrow.
The winners of the matches will progress to the quarter-finals where they will join Highlanders, FC Platinum, CAPS United, Yadah, Simba Bhora and Manica Diamonds.
Fixtures:
Today: Dynamos v ZPC Kariba (Rufaro)
Tomorrow: Ngezi Platinum Stars v Bulawayo Chiefs (Baobab)
Online Reporter