adminThe Harare giants drew 2-2 in the first leg fixture in Maputo and as they troop out of the Rufaro Stadium dugout, head coach Callisto Pasuwa says one thing only would be in their minds and that is victory and a slot in the second round. If they progress, the 1998 Champions League finalists would probably date another African giant Esperance in the last round before the group stage.
“Focus is now on the Mozambicans and nothing else. Our victory against Hardbody is now part of the archives. Without any doubt Muculmana will be coming for war and will fire from all cylinders but we are ready for them. I believe Dynamos does not belong to the would-have-beens, but we just have to go through,” said Pasuwa, who
was part of the class of 1998 that controversially lost 4-2 to Ivorian giants Asec Mimosa.
“It is going to be a completely different Dynamos from the one that played in Maputo, we will field players that have the mental strength for these type of games but as I said DeMbare is ready for war but I must also say that we are playing a very dangerous side who are well funded back home and will obviously be highly motivated for the match,” said Pasuwa.
Despite being well funded, the Mozambicans applied all the dirty tactics that they could think of to frustrate the 2011 Castle Lager Premiership champions and for some
minutes, it seemed to work as DeMbare found themselves down but the George Magariro-captained side fought back gallantly to force a 2-2 draw with the big forward Takesure Chinyama getting a brace. It could be those goals that might just propel Dynamos to the next stage of the lucrative but financially taxing race.
“My appeal is that let us pull together and nothing will stop us,” said Pasuwa.
Without doubt Dynamos will once again look up to the exploits of Chinyama, who is on a rich vein of form, having scored a hat-trick in their match against Hardbody.
Meanwhile, Hwange players and their technical staff flew out of Harare aboard an Ethiopian Airways at 1.35pm yesterday.
The team had missed their scheduled flight on Monday afternoon after some of their players’ visas were issued late.
“They have left the country via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia,” said Zifa communications manager, Nicky Moyo-Dlamini.
Hwange take on Al Amal Atbara in the second leg of the Caf Confederation Cup first round match on Sunday.
Hwange were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Colliery Stadium.
Another Sudan-bound side, FC Platinum, flies out at 1.35pm today for their second leg Caf Champions League tie against El Merreikh on Saturday.
The Zvishavane-based outfit drew 2-2 in the first leg played at Rufaro Stadium after Caf stopped them from using Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter