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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
HARARE City coach Masimba Dinyero shifts his focus, this weekend, from a tough battle against relegation hoping that winning a big piece of silverware will boost their quest for survival in the Premiership.
The Sunshine Boys have a date against FC Platinum in the Chibuku Super Cup final at Mandava on Sunday.
Dinyero’s team has been sucked into a complex relegation battle but they still have their destiny in their hands given that a win over Chicken Inn, in their final league tie, will virtually guarantee them another year in the Premiership.
Harare City have stumbled, of late, after a strong spell under Dinyero, who appeared to have stabilised the Sunshine Boys following a poor start to the season under Bigboy Mawiwi.
Their defensive frailties have been a cause for concern, especially in the absence of inspirational skipper David Kutyauripo, and they have conceded a dozen goals in their last four league matches.
But crucially, they have also been scoring, which gives them hope, and they have scored eight goals in their last four matches.
Kutyauripo, who has missed his team’s two league games against ZPC Kariba and CAPS United, as he served a suspension for a red card picked in a league match, returns to lead his team in the Chibuku Super Cup final.
The ageless defender has been outstanding this season, in a year where the veterans have dominated the domestic Premiership, and without him, the Sunshine Boys have looked lightweight at the back.
The Sunshine Boys had a very good first half, in their last game against CAPS United, and could have buried the Green Machine in a half they dominated but they only got a single-goal reward for their dominance.
It meant that there was always hope for the Green Machine, who came from the breather strongly, and equalised through Ronald Pfumbidzai.
For now, though, Dinyero shifts his focus from a battle against relegation, which involves about half-a-dozen teams, to the Chibuku Super Cup final.
If Harare City win the trophy, Dinyero knows that the feel-good effect could help his players in their fight for survival.
“We are preparing well, FC Platinum are playing well but I am happy most of our players are back and ready for selection,” said Dinyero.
“The game will be like any other but we are looking forward to doing well as this will give us some silverware, if we win, which only comes through hard work.
“I have been with FC Platinum and it is an organised side but we will be ready for them.”
On their road to the final, Harare City beat ZPC Kariba 1-0 in the first round at Rimuka and then overcame Chiredzi 2-1 at Mandava in the quarter-finals.
Francisco Zekumbawire, who has found the form that persuaded Dynamos to pluck him from Hwange only for their marriage, marred by injuries to the big forward, to end prematurely, William Manondo and Martin Vengesayi scored in a 3-0 rout of Highlanders in the semi-finals.
Dinyero will return to Mandava, where he started the year as assistant coach to Lloyd Mutasa, desperate to lay his hands on the iconic trophy in his first big job as the head coach of a Premiership club.
The former Dynamos midfielder was unhappy with the acrimony that surrounded his departure from FC Platinum but he has put that behind him as he battles to make a good impression in his big job.
Dinyero knows that they are going into the match as underdogs, given the way FC Platinum have been flying in recent weeks under Norman Mapeza, but that will suit the Sunshine Boys given that the pressure will be on their opponents.
FC Platinum will not only be at home but have put together some results that have made the nation appreciate Mapeza’s good work as a coach and convince many pundits that they are the favourites going into the Chibuku Super Cup final.
However, Mapeza has been around long enough to know that there are no guarantees in this game, especially in a Cup final, where the pressure will be on his team to deliver.
Online Reporter