adminTakudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS striker Roderick Mutuma is racing against time ahead of his side’s Easycall Cup quarter-final tie against How Mine at Rufaro on Sunday. Mutuma sustained an Achilles tendon injury during last weekend’s Harare Derby against CAPS United but the DeMbare coach Tonderai Ndiraya is hopeful that the striker will make it for Sunday’s game.
Apart from Mutuma, the Glamour Boys have welcomed back a number of players from the treatment room and only Obey Mwerahari and Artwell Mukanga will miss the match against How Mine.
Defender Sydney Linyama, who missed the Harare derby through injury, and Elisha Muroiwa, who was suspended for that match, will both be available for selection on Sunday.
With some of their key players back in the fold, DeMbare, who had to field a makeshift defence against CAPS United last Sunday, seem to be back to full strength and should carry too many guns for How Mine who, however, have since earned a giant killer tag.
The Harare giants have a psychological advantage over their opponents who they edged by an identical 1-0 scoreline when they clashed in their two league matches this season.
Dynamos utility player Godknows Murwira said they are determined to do well in the Easycall Cup tournament after having disappointed their multitude of fans when they lost 1-2 to Harare City in the Chibuku Super Cup final a couple of weeks ago
Murwira, a former Monomotapa and Shabanie Mine player, said they will try by all means to avoid a fall in the quarter-finals of the Easycall Cup as they now have a slim chance of clinching the league title.
“We are working hard ahead of this coming Sunday’s game and everyone is putting in some extra effort at training as we are aware how important it is to win this Cup competition.
“We now have an outside chance of winning the league title and (winning) this Cup competition will make our supporters happy. The good thing is that we are focusing on each game as it comes and I believe it is going to help us overcome How Mine,” said Murwira.
The midfielder-cum-defender said they are expecting a tough encounter against How Mine who brought in several seasoned players at the beginning of the season.
“We have so much respect for our opponents as they have some good players in their team who can cause problems to any team. They will also be prepared to face us as this Cup competition is the only thing that they can now play for, so we will not take them lightly.
“I think we will fight as a team as we have worked on our shortcomings which saw us failing to get more goals and win matches this season.
“A lot was done in preparations for this encounter and if we implement that we will come out with a positive result on Sunday,” added Murwira.
Meanwhile, How Mine, who in their last game against Dynamos held on until a last minute lapse of concentration saw them fall to a Ronald Chitiyo’s strike, have a good side which can cause all sorts of problems to DeMbare on Sunday.
They team have former Dynamos players in Tawanda Muparati, Devon Chafa and Morris Kadzola who will also find solace in the Easycall Cup if they manage to go all the way to the final.
How Mine managed to reach the quarter-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup before they fell to ZPC Kariba.
Easycall quarter-finals fixtures
Tomorrow: CAPS United v Hwange (National Sports Stadium), ZPC Kariba v Chicken Inn (Nyamhunga)
Sunday: FC Platinum v Highlanders (Mandava), Dynamos v How Mine (Rufaro).
Online Reporter