adminGrace Chingoma Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS manager Richard Chihoro said they have set their sights on winning the NetOne Easycall Cup and would do everything to beat How Mine when the two sides meet in the quarter-finals this Sunday at Rufaro.
DeMbare, faced with a possible reality of failing to defend their league title as they are six points behind pacesetters Chicken Inn, believe this is a perfect chance for them to be guaranteed of finishing the season with a silverware.
However, Chihoro is still not ruling the Glamour Boys out of the championship race and said they were going for both titles but have a better chance of winning the Easycall Cup where they have destiny firmly in their hands.
“We are eyeing the Easycall Cup. It is going to be a dog eat dog affair and playing at Rufaro, which is our home ground, we have better chances of doing well than our opponents,” he said.
Dynamos in 2013 were stunned by How Mine in the first round of the Mbada Diamonds Cup when they were beaten 1-0 at the same venue.
But Chihoro said history will not repeat itself on Sunday as Dynamos players, who resumed training yesterday following a 1-1 draw against CAPS United, are determined to go all the way to the final of the Easycall Cup.
In the league title race this year, Dynamos completed a double over Chikurupati, winning by identical scorelines of 1-0.
“This time around we will not lose to them in a Cup game. We are aiming to win at least a Cup title and we have to do this for our supporters as we had spoiled them by winning nearly all the Cups in the previous seasons.
“The players haven’t lost any hope and even the atmosphere at training is just good as the boys feel they want this Cup and they are working hard,” said Chihoro.
The veteran manager said they are not worried by the fact that they haven’t won a match in the last three matches as they had a goalless draw with Harare City in the league before they met again in the Chibuku Super Cup final where they lost 2-1. At the weekend they drew 1-1 with rivals CAPS United in a Harare derby.
But Chihoro said the poor spell doesn’t mean that they have become bad overnight and they will soon get it right.
“We have gone for three games without a victory but it happens in football and we have to work extra hard to get back on track.
“We scored first in the Harare derby on Sunday and unfortunately allowed them (CAPS United) to equalise. But we are slowly getting there and I am confident in the next game it would be better,” he said.
Chihoro said they still strongly believe that their hopes in both tournaments are high and can surprise all those who are counting them out.
“Even in the league, we are still in it so don’t count us out. If the other teams above us lose, say their next two matches, it will change a lot and you have seen Chicken Inn are showing signs of pressure and in their last game they scored a late equaliser. In football it is not over until it is really over and we have everything to play for here,” he said.
Yesterday, the PSL released the fixtures for the NetOne Easycall quarter-finals which will see all the seeded teams playing at home this weekend.
Fixtures
Saturday: ZPC Kariba v Chicken Inn (Nyamunga), CAPS United v Hwange (National Sports Stadium).
Sunday: FC Platinum v Highlanders (Mandava), Dynamos v How Mine (Rufaro).
Online Reporter