adminGrace Chingoma Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS badly want to win the Chibuku Super Cup and the Glamour Boys have revealed that the prize money is an incentive to their players to go all the way and grab the top-flight league’s biggest knockout tournament. The Harare giants have a date against in-form FC Platinum, who hammered them 3-1 in a league match at Mandava on Saturday, at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Team manager Richard Chihoro believes their disappointing defeat in Zvishavane, which blew holes in their bid to win a fifth straight league title, will spur them to defeat Norman Mapeza’s high-flying team. DeMbare bounced back with a convincing 5-1 win over Whawha at Rufaro on Wednesday.
“The mood in camp before the match (Whawha) was just terrific. The players were hungry for success. We want to win the Chibuku Cup,” said Chihoro.
“It has got money and $75 000 is not a joke. We are hungry for it. And on Sunday we want to continue from where we left (against Whawha).”
Defenders Ocean Mushure and Godknows Murwira were also on target against Whawha while midfield ace Ronald Chitiyo and striker Takesure Chinyama, with his second goal in as many games, struck for the Glamour Boys.
Chihoro believes there is more to come from his men in the countdown to the end of the season in which they need to win all their remaining matches if they are to capture a League and Cup double this season.
“We were angry with the FC Platinum match and we went into this game (against Whawha) hungry for success,” said Chihoro.
“The players were hurt by the defeat at Mandava. The coaches didn’t even need to say much in terms of motivating them after the defeat, which came after a long time.
“The players reorganised themselves and were easily motivated that in the next game they would do well.
“Even the mood in camp before the Whawha game was just amazing.
“The players simply promised to deliver and they went into the pitch and did that. It was good to register our highest score so far this season, having managed to beat Buffaloes 3-0 at the National Sports Stadium.
“We hope this zeal in players to do more and their motivation to come back after a disappointing defeat will continue in the remaining eight matches which we should win if we are to win the league.”
The veteran manager acknowledges that it would be a tough encounter against an FC Platinum side which has been crushing everything in its path.
“FC Platinum players are youthful and full of pace. It was one of those tough matches we have played and it was really a big match,” said Chihoro.
“But our problem is we allowed them to score soft goals against us at Mandava. That match is gone and we are looking at the Cup game and what we will do in that match to progress.”
Yesterday, the team had a light training session for the players who were in action on Wednesday.
Coach Tonderai Ndiraya was relieved that no one picked a knock during the mid-week game.
With the trio of Augustine Mbara, Artwell Mukandi and Kudzanai Nyakasaka still injured, the coach did not tamper with the team which lost to FC Platinum.
Chibuku Super Cup Fixtures
Tomorrow: Chicken Inn v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium, 1pm); Triangle v Harare City (NSS, 3.30 pm).
Sunday: ZPC Kariba v How Mine (National Sports Stadium, 1pm); FC Platinum v Dynamos (NSS, 3pm).
Online Reporter