adminDynamos.
It has been a miserable time for football supporters in this country with the Warriors losing back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against Egypt, at home of all places, and against Guinea in Conakry.
But the supporters will shift focus, from that horror, to something different and, for the first time in the last two weeks, there will be something about football to make some people smile.
Champions Dynamos, still struggling to operate with a full squad since the season opened because of injuries, will resume league action with a clash against Buffaloes at Sakubva this afternoon.
The match will be beamed live on SuperSport 9.
DeMbare coach Callisto Pasuwa has been forced to keep on chopping and changing personnel in each and every game depending on the availability of players.
This afternoon, vice captain Tawanda Muparati and steady defender Partson Jaure will join the long list of sidelined players.
Muparati is serving a one-match suspension while Jaure, who got a knock during the Warriors’ camp last week, will miss the match and join other injured players such as Augustine Mbara, Byron Madzokere and Milton Makopa.
Dynamos registered a squad of 30 players but they have had so many casualties leaving Pasuwa having to deal with slightly more than half of the registered players at any given time.
Former Chicken Inn defender, Sydney Linyama, has since stopped reporting for training because of a contractual dispute while the highly-rated Congolese player, Jeremy Mumbere, is yet to get his reverse clearance. Three of the Under-19 players registered as the junior players are also battling to recover from injuries. Yesterday, Pasuwa had to draft the Warriors’ duo of Ocean Mushure and Devon Chafa, who arrived around midday from Guinea, into the squad which travelled in the afternoon to Mutare.
The players did not train with the rest of the team and neither were they assessed, to establish if they have picked any knocks, but Pasuwa badly needs everyone who is available to be in Mutare.
Until the arrival of Chafa and Mushure, the coach only had 16 players available before their arrival.
Last season, DeMbare won 2-0 at Sakubva with Denver Mukamba and skipper Murape Murape on target.
In the reverse tie at Rufaro, the champions ran out easy 3-0 winners with Mukamba again on target when he converted from the spot while Simba Sithole scored a double.
“The players who were in Guinea arrived around midday after we had finished our training but we had to include them as we are missing a number of players such as Muparati, Jaure and Madzokere through injuries,” said Pasuwa.
“We also have a number of players recovering from injuries. We know that Ocean (Mushure) and Devon (Chafa) might be suffering from fatigue but we are likely to use one of them depending on the positons.
“We have been forced to keep changing and rotating the players’ positions because of injuries and l don’t remember when we fielded our normal team.
“Fortunately, Boban (Zirintusa) returned on Monday from Uganda and trained with the rest of the team and didn’t get a knock on national duty.” DeMbare have been training during the break and Pasuwa will be hoping the team will continue with their winning ways after beating Black Rhinos 2-0 in their last game.
“Of late, Buffaloes haven’t been playing well but if you look at all the teams, when playing against us, they raise their bar,” said Pasuwa.
“So we just have to put in a lot of effort in every match and not look at the past results. We know they play a physical game and have very fit players.” Buffaloes new gaffer, Timothy Masachi, will be seeking a good start, in his first assignment as the head coach, following the departure of Saul Chaminuka.
Masachi has been in the team’s dressing room since the club was in the Zifa Eastern Region Division One league in 2011.
“We have been working hard during the break and working on areas which we have been lacking,” said Masachi.
“Our defence was our strongest department last year. l think we conceded about 18 goals the whole year, but now we have conceded many goals this year but at the same time we have managed to score a lot of goals this year compared to last year when we would score at least a goal in a win.
“So, now, we have been trying to strike a balance and manage this well.
“Last year we were trying to catch up with Premiership action but we are now really prepared. We know they (Dynamos) are the champions and are yet to lose but anything can happen and we may beat them.
“Morale is high in camp and everyone is eager to play and we have a clean bill of health.”
Buffaloes would be looking for inspiration from their young left back Farai Banda who on a good day can be handful.
They also have former Dynamos midfielder Wonder Sithole, former Masvingo and Highlanders midfielder Douglas Zimbango and strikers Jacob Muzokomba and Steven Sibanda.
Fixtures
Today
CAPS United vs Hwange (National Sports Stadium), Black Mambas vs Shabanie (Morris Depot), Highlanders vs Chicken Inn (Barbourfields), Black Rhinos vs Tripple B (Rimuka), Motor Action vs FC Platinum (Callies)
Tomorrow
How Mine vs Triangle (Luveve), Harare City vs Monomotapa SS9 (Rufaro)
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