adminPremiership status this afternoon, when they host leaders FC Platinum at Gwanzura.
The former champions are not yet out of the woods in the relegation battle and Mangwiro – whose team will be away in the last two matches of the season – wants to secure survival today.
The Young Warriors coach will also be away in Botswana for a coaching course, which will precede the Cosafa Under-20 Championships, which gets underway on December 1 in Gaborone.
Interestingly, the coach is a former Dynamos player and a victory against FC Platinum will be a good service for the team that gave him his name as a forward.
Mangwiro has always been touted as a future DeMbare coach.
“It is a match in which we have to do well as we are not yet sure whether we will retain our Premiership slot or not.
“If we lose this weekend and Shabanie, Black Mambas and Masvingo win, then we are bound to sink and we cannot fool ourselves that we are safe.
“I will miss the last two matches against Highlanders and Masvingo as I will be attending a coaching course in Botswana and by then I would want us to have sealed our fate,” said Mangwiro.
The coach said he respects the Premiership newboys, especially their experienced coach Rahman Gumbo.
“They are on top, it shows they are a strong side and have really worked hard to be there and I also have great respect for their coach who has done well not only here but in Malawi and Botswana.
“We know what is at stake and beating a team like this would do us a lot of good, but this doesn’t mean we fear them.”
Mangwiro and team manager Clayton Munemo are former DeMbare sons but the gaffer said they are not looking into that going in this crucial tie.
“You can never run away from the fact that we are bound to have this Dynamos thing in us because we were nurtured there.
“But this is a game in which we have to do well as a club because we are not safe,” said Mangwiro.
Monoz would be missing key forward Russell Madamombe, their best player this season, who is on suspension after accumulating three cards. They are also missing defender Knowledge Machona, Hillary Mugoniwa, Blessing Chimwamuchere and Blessing Bizeci who are injured.
The team will have to look for inspiration from forward Makai “Jecha” Kawashu, who missed out the start of the season with an injury but has fully recovered and scored eight goals.
While Monoz have vowed to fight to the bitter end, pacesetters Platinum are not even considering dropping crucial points on the road and yesterday secretary Philemon Muvengwa said the defeat in the Mbada Diamonds Cup was now history and the team was ready for the league challenge.
“It is a game we have prepared for very well. We have to win tomorrow. They are a tricky side, they are former champions and they have been doing well and we respect them. To us the Mbada thing
is over and we concentrating on the league now,” said Muvengwa.
The Moneybags will welcome captain Zephaniah Ngodzo back in the fold after he missed the Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-final match against Dynamos at Barbourfields on Sunday due to suspension.
At White City the relegation battle hots up with Zimbabwe Saints hosting Black Mambas and needing an outright win to keep their slim hopes of survival.
A defeat for Chauya Chikwata this afternoon coupled by positive results for other relegation candidates will condemn Saints to Division One.
A victory for Black Mambas will take them to 35 points and a step closer to safety.
The police side will be without striker Peter Kachirika in Bulawayo as the veteran player is suspended.
Troubled Kiglon travels to Hwange to face a Chipangano side which is fighting for a top three-finish and another defeat for Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe’s charges will fast track their fall into Division One.
Luke Masomere’s Shabanie Mine, with 28 points, host CAPS United at Maglas hoping to breathe life into their survival campaign by collecting maximum points.
They meet a bubbly Makepekepe, which is fighting for a top eight finish, and in their last assignment pumped in four goals past Blue Ribbon. Lloyd Chitembwe has transformed CAPS United into an efficient fighting force and, after they picked a point against FC Platinum at Mandava, they can do even better at Maglas.
Misheck Chidzambwa is also vying for a top eight finish and his Blue Ribbon will entertain relegation-threatened Shooting Stars at the Motor Action Sports Club.
A defeat for the Wild Boys will compound their woes.
Masvingo have a date against Highlanders at Mucheke and Bosso will be missing the services of captain Gilbert Banda who is suspended.
Only one Premiership match this afternoon, the match pitting Gunners and Chicken Inn at Lafarge, does not have any significance on the title race or the relegation battle.
Moses “Bambo” Chunga youthful charges will be seeking to bounce back to winning ways after bowing out of the Mbada Diamonds Cup when they lost to Platinum in the quarterfinals, followed by a 1-2 league defeat to Highlanders.
Adam Ndlovu’s Chicken Inn would be missing defender Morris Kadzola who is also on suspension after accumulating three yellow cards.
Fixtures
Today: Zimbabwe Saints v Black Mambas (White City), Blue Ribbon v Shooting Stars (Motor Action Sports Club), Shabanie Mine v CAPS United (Maglas), Gunners v Chicken Inn (Lafarge), Dynamos v Motor Action (Rufaro), Monomotopa v FC Platinum (Gwanzura), Masvingo v Highlanders (Mucheke) Hwange v Kiglon (Colliery).
TV Coverage – Dynamos v Motor Action (Live on SuperSport 9 and 10 (Africa), SuperSport 3 (South Africa), 3pm. Live Studio chat starts at 2.45pm on all three channels.
Online Reporter