admin
Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Hwange and Dynamos roving midfielder Carrington Gomba has advised the Harare giants to utilise their home advantage when they face DRC’s AS Vita Club in the Orange Caf Champions League first round, first leg encounter at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Saturday.
Gomba, who plays for CS Don Bosco in the DRC believes the return leg will be a nightmare for his fellow countrymen and former teammates, unless they score an avalanche of goals on Saturday.
“These guys are deadly and ruthless at their home ground here so I would advise Dynamos to take full advantage of their home ground so that they carry a healthy lead which on its own might not guarantee them a through pass to the next round,” said Gomba.
Added Gomba, nicknamed Pasuwa by his peers at the coalmining town after the Dynamos coach Callisto;
“I have not seen Dynamos play of late but I know how Vita plays, they are deadly at home. Their other advantage is that our season has been on since August last year so the level of fitness is higher, it’s going to be a mammoth task for my homeboys but with determination, aided by a sound home performance, they might spring a surprise.”
Nicknamed the Black Dolphins, the DeMbare opponents are second in the DRC Group B log standings with 18 points from seven matches, two behind leaders Sanga Balende who, however, have played two more games.
The DRC league is divided into two groups with Group A having the most famous and successful club in that country, TP Mazembe and Gomba’s Don Bosco, who are first and second respectively.
Don Bosco is owned by the son to TP Mazembe owner Moisse Katumbi and is seen as a feeder club to the former African champions.
Winners and runners up in the two groups then clash to decide the eventual winner.
“Vita have about 11 players in the DRC national team but that does not mean much as Dynamos also has a number of international players in their line-up,” said Gomba.
Players in the DRC national team are goalkeeper Lomboto Herve, defenders Simbi Ebungu, Thierry Kasareka and Issama Mpeko, midfielders Lema Mabidi, Heritier Luvumbu, Lema Mampuya, Emmanuel Ngudikama and Kazadi Mutombo.
They have two strikers, namely Firm Ndombe and Guy Lusadisu.
To book their place into the first round proper, AS Vita beat Nigeria’s Kano Pillars 4-3 on aggregate after taking full advantage of their 80,000 capacity Stade des Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa in the first leg to win 3-1 before losing 1-2 in Nigeria.
They have won the Linafoot, DRC top division, 12 times since 1970 while finishing as runners up three times in 2011, 2012 and last year but they have found the going a bit tough in the Champions League, bowing out in the first round in 2011 and 2012.
Online Reporter