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their destiny as they prepare for a crucial must-win Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash against FC Platinum.
Gutu yesterday said DeMbare were ready to upstage their hosts in this potentially explosive top-of-the-table clash that has a huge bearing on the destiny of this year’s championship.
Premiership newboys FC Platinum, who have an advantage in this race, are closer to their date with destiny while Dynamos need to win at Mandava to keep alive their hopes ahead of the last round of the matches.
This is easily the game of the season as all eyes will be on the developments at Mandava where the direction of this year’s championship will take a clear picture.
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“Everyone in the camp knows that we have to win this match at all costs,” said Gutu.
“It’s difficult but everything is possible. We have won against them in Bulawayo and we beat them in the first leg. I think we can do it again. We just don’t have to strain ourselves too much,” he added.
DeMbare want to break a three-year duck in which they missed the championship and finished as runners-up.
Gutu said the last three seasons could have been frustrating for Dynamos after finishing second to Monomotapa, Gunners and Motors Action.
Dynamos last won the championship in 2007.
DeMbare currently trail the Moneybags by three points on the table.
FC Platinum have 55 points from 28 games and a win tomorrow will confirm them as the new champions.
“Platinum have done well this season. They have good players, some of them with more experience than most of us, but it would be painful for us not to win the league again this season.
“We have the capacity and in order for us to keep our chances bright we have to win on Sunday. It’s a must win game.
“It pains so much to lose the championship to a team that only came into the league this season.
“It doesn’t matter we are playing away but our supporters have been fantastic and we hope they will be behind us all the way on Sunday.”
Kugona Kunenge Kudada beat Monomotapa 2-0 on Wednesday to boost their confidence and erase memories of the 1-0 defeat at the hands of Dynamos in the Mbada Diamonds Cup last Sunday.
Coach Rahman Gumbo has all his players at his disposal with former Dynamos forward Benjamin Marere, Joel Ngodzo, Menard Mupera and reigning Soccer Star of the Year Charles Sibanda, the men to watch.
FC Platinum, who invested a fortune at the beginning of the season, have a strong squad and assistant coach Tendai Chikuni indicated that they will be going for a victory they need to be champions.
Chikuni said they wanted to end the championship race in their backyard tomorrow.
Dynamos striker Cuthbert Malajila will wear the captain’s armband in the absence of George Magariro, who is battling a knee injury he suffered two weeks ago.
But Dynamos assistant coach Tonderai Ndiraya said midfield strongman Milton Makopa and roving rightback David Kutyauripo, who were also down with injuries, have recovered in time for the crucial game.
“They are available for selection but George failed to make it. He has been doing light training though,” said Ndiraya.
“Otherwise everyone is ready and we remain positive, just like we do in all our matches. We cannot underestimate the challenge in our hands.
“FC Platinum have a quality team but we are a big club. The fact we beat them twice means a lot but we are not banking on results from previous games.
“This is a new challenge and I believe we have the experience to handle such situations,” said Ndiraya.
Malajila has been DeMbare’s luck charm with his arrival coinciding with the team’s strong challenge for the championship.
DeMbare have also won all the games he has been captain and his energy, upfront, has made a difference.
He has given confidence to the team’s young turks with Rodreck Mutuma and Denver Mukamba benefitting from from his presence.
Mutuma and Mukamba, who struck a beauty against Motor Action, were on target in the last match.
There is a feeling in this Glamour Boys’ team that this is their moment and they cannot lose it.
They were dominant against FC Platinum in the Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-final at Barbourfields on Sunday and, had Malajila been more precise in front of goal, they would have been full value for a 4-0 victory.
FC Platinum are yet to score against Dynamos in 180 minutes of action and Washington Arubi’s incredible save from a point-blank header by Charles Sibanda, even though the effort would not have counted since he was off-side, showed the Glamour Boys’ resilience.
They can feel that they are about to cross the line and, having returned from Hwange with a point in a game they felt cheated when a Martin Vengesayi effort was controversially ruled out, they are ready for the Mother of all Battles tomorrow.
Dynamos’ supporters’ chairman Felix Dzukwa yesterday urged fans from both sides to behave well and respect the referees’ decisions.
Dzukwa urged the Dynamos supporters to leave for Zvishavane today to avoid hustles at the ground tomorrow.
He said five buses will ferry registered fans with the first expected to leave this afternoon at 2pm and the other at 6pm.
“We are not going there for war. We want to forge even stronger ties with the Platinum supporters because we are all playing in the Champions League next season. We need one another for that reason.
“We also urge our supporters to be in Zvishavane by Saturday evening so that we avoid hustles on Sunday.
“We got information that FC Platinum want to sell advance tickets to their supporters and with their ground capacity of 7 000 we fear that late comers may not get access into the stadium,” said Dzukwa.
He also urged the Premier Soccer League to put security measures to avoid chaos at the match.
Online Reporter