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Fungai Muderere
DYNAMOS are 90 minutes away from making it into Caf Confederations Cup group stages and they will be hoping to clear their last hurdle when they play “host” to Orapa United at Botswana’s Obed Itani Chulume Stadium in Francistown on Sunday.
Last weekend, the Glamour Boys edged Orapa United 1-0 courtesy of a Valentine Kadonzvo 85th-minute strike at the same venue. DeMbare were compelled to settle for the same in the same venue in the return fixture as their home ground since the country does not have a Caf-approved stadium.
“Orapa United are a good side. We won the first leg match in the last few minutes meaning they can rise to the occasion. We are looking forward to another disciplined act in Botswana,” said DeMbare interim head coach Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe who has been emphasising the significance of moving ahead to the group stages.
In the first leg tie, Dynamos were solid at the back with the Frank Makarati marshalled rear guard doing well to shutout Orapa United strikers and the process continuing to shine under outspoken Chigowe who now has Murape Murape and ex-Highlanders striker and coach Joel Luphahla as his assistants.
It is no wonder that DeMbare are yet to concede a goal in this inter-club contest. They booted out Zambia’s Zesco United in the first round with a 1-0 aggregate after winning at home before a goalless stalemate away in Zambia.
Last weekend, Dynamos were largely let down by their strikers Elton Chikona and Emmanuel Paga who took turns to miss a plethora of goal scoring opportunities in a match they enjoyed from their fans who breathed the simmering heats of Botswana which could not deter them from singing on top of their voices and beating their drums up to the end of the match.
In the week that they have also been adjusting to the searing heat in Francistown, DeMbare have been further buoyed by the return to fitness of two of their key players.
Chief striker Sadney Urikhob who has not played a single match since featuring in Dynamos’ 1-0 win over Zambian outfit Zesco United in the Confederation Cup first preliminary round, first leg at the National Stadium in Gaborone more than a month ago.
On the other hand, star winger Issah Sadiki has also been in the treatment room for the past three weeks. But both players have been training with the rest of the squad since Tuesday with Chigowe expressing optimism over DeMbare’s prospects. Chigowe’s opposite number Gadimang Tiiso emphasised that Dynamos are a big side.
“Dynamos is a good big team from Zimbabwe. In the first leg, we played well but unfortunately, we lost. We could not crucify or kill the boys. We are hoping that we will get it right in the next fixture and breach the Dynamos defence,” said Tiiso.
The Glamour Boys’ returned to the jungles of African football after a decade of absence. The last time Dynamos played in Africa was in March 2014, when they were knocked out of the Caf Champions League first round by DR Congo side, AS Vita.
DeMbare got the sole ticket to represent the country in inter-club football after they won the 2023 Chibuku Super Cup.
Dynamos are hoping to either complete a double on Orapa United or confine them to a draw to march onto the group stage.
A minimum US$400 000 carrot is also dangling before DeMbare should they clear the Orapa United hurdle on Sunday. For participating in the tournament, Dynamos are already assured of US$50 000. — @FungaiMuderere.
derick.khumalo