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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
HARARE City skipper David Kutyauripo, a veteran of many battles, is relishing the prospects of playing in the CAF Confederation Cup next season. The ageless defender, who has battled a number of injuries and played cameo roles in his team’s Chibuku Super Cup success story, wants to play on and believes the challenge brought by the CAF Confederation Cup will inspire him.
The Sunshine City Boys beat Dynamos 2-1 to win their first piece of silverware, in the top-flight league, and qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup. Kutyauripo, who has played in the Champions League three times with Dynamos and has featured in the Confederation Cup twice, first with CAPS United and then with the Glamour Boys, is now set for another battle on the continent.
“It is good to win the Chibuku Super Cup final. The most important thing is having exposure, especially the young players, playing in such Cup finals as well as playing in African competitions,” said Kutyauripo. “As the captain, when I joined Harare City I said I want to win trophies for Harare City so here I am living my dream. “People say a lot when one moves from a bigger club to a team which is seen as relatively smaller, they say your career is now approaching its sunset but that is not true and I am happy to have achieved this with the club. “I am one person who has high self esteem and I was so confident before the match was played plus after what happened last year we were just hungry for the Cup.
“I believe even if you are facing a big team you just have to believe in your team and it worked.” The veteran player, who once had a stint with Cyprus club Apop Kinyras Peyias, believes his team is not short on experience and they can compete well in the Africa inter-club competitions.
“I will provide guidance and stability needed when playing in the Confederation Cup,” said Kutyauripo. “Most of the players are still young and it would be their first time, but I am also glad that there are senior players such as myself, Tafadzwa Dube, Martin (Vengesayi), Maxwell (Nyamupangedengu) who have played at this stage before and knows what is expected at this stage.
“But we are supposed to be focused, committed and continue working hard. “It is not going to be a stroll in the park next season playing in the Confederation Cup, it comes with a lot of pressure both at the domestic front and on the African safari, and we have to be prepared for both.”
Online Reporter