Mutasa ready for showdown

That was in March last year and his Dynamos team produced a breathtaking display of attacking football to overwhelm MC Alger of Algeria 4-1 at Rufaro.
Such was their dominance that day the Glamour Boys could easily have won that game 10-1.
Mutasa turned himself into a hero among the Dynamos fans when he masterminded one of the greatest DeMbare performances in the Champions League as his stylish Glamour Boys tore apart MC Alger with an impressive display of attacking football.
Although things did not go their way in Algeria, with a diabolical Egyptian referee playing a big part in the controversial 3-0 win by the Algerians, Mutasa had made a mark and shown, in that first leg, what he is capable of engineering.
Mutasa is back in Champions League terrain and on a mission to spoil the FC Platinum party and help Swazi minnows Green Mamba gatecrash into the first round.
He will need a repeat of such a magical performance for his Swazi side, in their match against FC Platinum tomorrow.
The former Dynamos coach has been tasked by Green Mamba to ensure that mission impossible turns into a success story for the Swazi side who take on FC Platinum at Mandava tomorrow needing to overturn a 2-4 first leg deficit.
Mutasa has taken full control of the Swazi side after getting his work permit a week ago.
He did not have a work permit, when FC Platinum came to Swaziland, although he was active in the coaching of the team.
“I am here to overcome the 4-2 defeat we suffered in Swaziland last week and for us to do that we are going to attack from the first whistle,” said Mutasa.
“We have nothing to lose and we are going to prevent them from scoring as well.
“I have played FC Platinum before and I beat them at Rufarao Stadium when I was still in charge at Dynamos.
I know that their dressing room has changed as they now have Rahman (Gumbo) as coach and they have new players as well.
“But Saturday I want to warn them that it will be a different ball game.
“I am looking forward to the challenge and I want the Swazi nation to feel proud of us and those who made the trip to Zimbabwe  must enjoy it and see what I am capable of doing,” said Mutasa.
“I am also appealing to Dynamos fans to come and watch the other Dynamos from Swaziland.
“I have my own Archford Gutu, Denver Mukamba and Rodrick Mutumas in my new team.
“If you like the Dynamos team that I assembled last season that went on to lift the championship, you have to be at Mandava and see my new team.”
Mutasa penned a three-year deal at Green Mamba.
He is likely to receive a hostile reception at Mandava tomorrow, given his old Dynamos links, and FC Platinum fans, celebrating their team’s victory in the BOB ’88 Super Cup, openly mocked DeMbare in song.
FC Platinum supporters have never forgiven Dynamos for the smash-and-grab raid at Mandava last season where the Glamour Boys won 1-0 and virtually secured the league championship.
Mutasa has already made an impact at Green Mamba and led them to a 2-1 win over their bogey side Moneni Pirates in his first full game in charge.
“Our team had not beat Moneni for the past two seasons. I am now trailing Manzini Sundowns, a team coached by Rodwell (Dhlakama), by 16 points but football being football I might win the league,” said Mutasa.
“Our destiny is not in our hands but God will fight for ourselves.
“We are in the relegation zone but we are going to improve. I am happy that the environment I am working under is very conducive. The administrators are very supportive and the players have responded very well and the truth is we will come out with a positive result on Saturday.”
Green Mamba captain, Siyabonga Mdluli, said they were ready for the big battle and to pull off a sensational victory.
“We are the underdogs after losing our  first leg at home when we threw away the chance of beating them in our backyard,” said Mdluli.
“This is the second leg and I am just warning them not to expect any favours from us because, from the moment the referee blows his whistle to start the match, we will come hard on them.
“During the first leg FC Platinum were a closed book to us since we did not know how they played but now we know their strengths and their weaknesses and we know the areas were we are going to capitalise on.
“We are not going to be intimidated by their fans even if they come in droves. We are here to represent the Swazi nation and we are  going to try and fly our national flag high and if it means going down we will go down fighting.”
Mdluli said a two-legged contest could never be decided by the result from the first leg.
“At the same time they must not be fooled by the first leg score as we can also score four goals, just like they did when they came to Swaziland,” said Mdluli.
“In football, nothing is impossible.We are very happy with the welcome we haved received and everything. We do not have anything to complain about and what is left for us is clashing with our hosts.
“I am appealing to our fans who are at home and those who are going to travel not to lose hope. We are going to fight like a wounded lion.
“FC Platinum could have hosted us very well but come Saturday afternoon we are going to be enemies for the 90 minutes and we will only shake hands after the final whistle. We also want to do well in the Champions League, just like them.”
Green Mamba boasts seven players — Sabelo Shilubane, Njabuliso Simelane, Muntu Mamba, Welile Maseko, Musa Dlamini, Ntobeko Mthimkhulu and Musa Ngwenya — who play for the national team.
Maseko and Mcebo Mdluli, the captain’s younger brother, scored for the home side in the first leg.