daniel chigunwe
Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
GIANTS Dynamos were welcomed by rain when they arrived in the Lowveld yesterday and they will be hoping that the weather conditions will be friendly this afternoon as they seek to enhance their title push with a re-scheduled Castle Lager Premiership top-four fixture against Manica Diamonds at Gibbo.
The Glamour Boys thrust themselves back in the picture in this year’s title race after winning their last two games, which included claiming the big scalp of log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars. The win over the runaway platinum miners ushered them into second place on the log standings but with eight points still separating them from the Mhondoro side.
DeMbare, however, have a game in hand and could further slash the deficit to five points if they can win today, to set up an interesting stage going into the last five games of the season.
Their coach Genesis Mangombe yesterday expressed confidence in his team and at the same time was skeptical about facing the Gem Boys who have blown hot and cold this season.
“I wouldn’t want to say much because this is a game of football,” said Mangombe.
“We came here to seek a win but remember they (Manica Diamonds) also want all the points. They are also not far from the top. So we will need to fight hard to get what we want.
“It’s not going to be easy against a side like Manica Diamonds. So, I have been telling the boys that if we can beat big teams like Highlanders, CAPS United and the top team on the log table Ngezi Platinum Stars, we can also do the same against Manica Diamonds, if we do not lose focus.
“I believe we can win against any team on any given day, if we apply ourselves well. So what we have been doing is that we have been psyching up these boys to believe in themselves. They have been doing well of late and we have been winning games.
“Probably, my major fear could be that complacency could get hold of them. Remember we have some young players in our team and they can get carried away easily. So we have to continue talking to them,” said Mangombe.
Dynamos go into the game pumped up following the 2-0 victory over bitter rivals CAPS United in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday.
Goals from Issa Sadiki and teenage forward Elton Chikona secured the victory, a third over the same team this year. It also secured them a ticket to the CAF interclub football next season.
But the Glamour Boys will be without their star midfielder Donald Mudadi, who is ineligible for the game after picking up a thoughtless red card in their recent 2-1 win over Ngezi Platinum. Defender Elvis Moyo is still recovering from injury. Manica Diamonds, in contrast, are expected to have all their men ready for the battle. The Gem Boys frustrated DeMbare in the first leg that ended goalless at the National Sports Stadium.
The two teams are separated by just two points on the log standings. Dynamos, who sit in second place have 49 points while their opponents are fourth on 47.
The Gem Boys, however, could end the day in second place and a point better than DeMbare if they manage to collect maximum points.
Jairos Tapera’s men, who also felt relieved after DeMbare successfully sought the postponement of the original fixture, must have recovered well from the fatigue of travelling across the country for away games as well as to Triangle to play their home games.
They have been on the road the entire season as their Sakubva home ground is yet to meet the required standards for PSL football.
But the Gem Boys have been able to absorb the pressure as they have quality side that boasts of players like Bret Amidu, Talent Chamboko, Liberty Chakoroma, Farai Banda, Ralph Kawondera, pacy winger Gerald Bero and are also home to one of the league’s top scorers, Fortune Binzi.
The Mutare side are also expecting the weather in Triangle to relent. The showers, which were accompanied by uncharacteristic low temperatures of sub-19°C yesterday, are expected to scatter across the province, with 60 percent precipitation and maximum temperature of 21°C expected today, according to forecasts.
Today: Manica Diamonds v Dynamos (Gibbo)
Saturday: GreenFuel v Bulawayo Chiefs (GreenFuel), Chicken Inn v FC Platinum (Luveve), Cranborne Bullets v Triangle (NSS), Sheashan v Manica Diamonds (Bata), Simba Bhora v Herentals (Baobab)
Sunday: Dynamos v Black Rhinos (NSS), Hwange v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Colliery), Highlanders v CAPS Utd (Barbourfields), Yadah v ZPC Kariba (Baobab)
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