Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HARARE giants Dynamos make their final trip of the 2021/22 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season to Bulawayo on Saturday to face relegation-threatened Bulawayo City at Barbourfields Stadium.
DeMbare, second on the table with 56 points, 11 points adrift of leaders FC Platinum who need two points from four games to win their fourth consecutive title, face a Bulawayo City outfit that is fighting for its survival.
Amakhosi are five points from safety, sitting second from the bottom of the table with 27 points and dare to dream that they will escape the relegation axe.
The local authority bankrolled side heads into the Dynamos encounter bubbling with confidence after their last league win against Bulawayo Chiefs who they edged 1-0. Bulawayo City broke a four-match losing streak against Chiefs and they want to build on that victory to keep their survival chances alive.
Coached by Farai Tawachera, Bulawayo City, who drew the first leg against Dynamos 1-1, will be left with an away trip to ZPC Kariba, return home to host Harare City and cap the season with an away trip to Black Rhinos.
In the first leg, Bulawayo City had former captain Vincent Moyo scoring in the last minute of the game to cancel out a King Nadolo earlier strike. Moyo left City during the midseason transfer window to join crosstown rivals Chicken Inn.
Tawachera is confident that his charges will be able to spring a shocker and stun DeMbare who are hoping to cling on to the second position.
“This is a self-motivating game and every player dreams to play in such games. We’ve been working hard trying to correct our mistakes and heading into the Dynamos encounter, we will see how the boys are at the end of the week.
“In terms of the relegation fight, we just need to play our games and see where it takes us but we long for a strong season’s finish,” Tawachera said.
With Moyo having left, Bulawayo City will bank on Muza, Leslie Lunga, Mpumelelo Bhebhe and Wilfred Munorwei.
They will have to do without the suspended pair of midfielders Cedric Chinomona and Solomon Sithole.
Bulawayo City have skipper Melikhaya Ncube, Welcome Ndiweni, Crispen Machisi and Genius Mutungamiri to rely on in midfield.
Veteran striker Obidiah Tarumbwa, who scored the winner against Chiefs will compete for a place in the starting line-up with Dalubuhle Dlodlo, Rodi Sibanda and Nqobile Ndlovu.
Mzilikazi-bred teenager Junior Makunike who scored Dynamos’ second goal in their 3-0 win against Chicken Inn at Barbourfields Stadium in July, skipper Patson Jaure, utility player Godknows Murwira, striker Tinashe Makanda, midfielder Keith Murera and Shadreck Nyahwa are some of the players expected to carry the day for DeMbare.
PSL match day 31 fixtures
Friday, October 21: Herentals v Chicken Inn (National Sports Stadium)
Saturday, October 22: Yadah v Cranborne Bullets (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo City v Dynamos (Barbourfields Stadium), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Black Rhinos (Baobab), Whawha v ZPC Kariba (Ascot)
Sunday, October 23: Highlanders v Bulawayo Chiefs (Barbourfields Stadium), Manica Diamonds v Harare City (Sakubva), Triangle United v Tenax CS FC (Gibbo), Caps United v FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium).
— @ZililoR
Online Reporter