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for a second spell at the club, and history will be smiling on his youthful team in their showdown against Dynamos at Lafarge on Sunday.
The derby on Sunday is a classic battle between the two best performing teams in the Premiership, in the last seven games, with Gunners topping that table while DeMbare are second on that log. In the seven games since Chunga’s return, Gunners have won five, drawn two and are yet to lose a match and the 17 points they have gained, out of a possible 21, have moved them from 15th place to SEVENTH.
Gunners were second from the bottom of the table, when Chunga arrived for his second spell, and were only two points better than bottom-placed side Shooting Stars.
They had won just two games, lost six and drawn six but Chunga has turned it around and Gunners are now 12 points better than the team that is currently anchoring the table – little Kiglon. Chunga’s phenomenal success rate, since returning to a Gunners side he inspired to league championship glory two years ago, stands at 80.95 percent.
Until his arrival at the club this year, Gunners were flirting with a 28.57 percent failure rate, badly bruised and clearly candidates for relegation. Interestingly, DeMbare have the SECOND-BEST record over the same period with four wins, two draws and one defeat.
Back-to-back wins under new coach Calisto Pasuwa, coupled with the leading pack dropping points, have brought Dynamos back into the title equation.
Now they have to rewrite the history books if they are to stay in the hunt as they seek to end a title drought that goes back four years.
Dynamos have NOT won a league game against Gunners since 2009 and the four games since then have produced two draws and two wins for Chando Kupisa.
Even more worrying for Dynamos fans is the fact that Dynamos have NOT beaten Gunners in the second half of the season since Chando Kupisa joined the Premiership in 2008.
Gunners have had a hand in Dynamos’ failure to win the Premiership title in ALL three completed seasons since they gained promotion from the Zifa Northern Region Division One league.
GUNNERS GOALS
***ALL their goals against Dynamos – in the second half of the season-have come in the second half.
2008 SEASON
Dynamos won the first match 2-1 at Gwanzura and looked set to snatch the Premiership title from Monomotapa.
One key match for Dynamos in the home stretch was a date with Gunners at Rufaro in Week 25 on November 19.
Philip Marufu gave Dynamos the lead with stunning goal in the 24th minute and it looked like the match winner until a minute into injury time.
Just as the fourth official signaled one minute of added time, Gunners captain Zhaimu Jambo beat an ill-timed offside trap by Dynamos on the left and laid the ball for Tapiwa Mangezi who blasted the ball into the roof of the net for virtually the last piece of action.
At that stage Gunners were battling against relegation and they eventually made it to the Top Eight. Dynamos went on to finish second, three points behind Monomotapa.
2009 SEASON
Dynamos won the first match 2-0 as coach Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe went on a 12-match unbeaten run. Cuthbert Malajila and Carrington Gomba scored the goals on a rainy May 9 at Rufaro.
Moses Chunga’s Gunners bounced back into the title race and when the two teams met in Week 29 on November 20, their clash at Rufaro became a title decider.
After a goalless first half, Gunners took a 68th minute lead through impressive midfielder Nathan Ziwini – now at Dynamos.
A draw would not have been enough for Dynamos and their title hopes were ended in the 87th minute when Norman Maroto (now at FC Platinum) made it 2-0. Gunners won the title in only their second attempt – a Premiership record.
Dynamos again finished second.
2010 SEASON
The two teams were set to meet in the opening weekend of the season but Dynamos refused to fulfill the fixture arguing that they were playing an Independence Trophy final the following day.
After numerous disciplinary committee sittings, the match was eventually replayed and Gunners won 1-0 courtesy of David Rediyoni’s third minute goal.
In the reverse fixture at Rufaro on September 30, Dynamos took a 41st minute lead against the run of play.
However, Gunners hit back with a 64th minute equaliser from Norman Maroto to deny Dynamos of maximum points.
Again Dynamos were to rue the two points dropped as they finished second AGAIN, this time tied on points with Motor Action but missing out on goal difference.
2011 SEASON
The teams met in the first half of the season and their clash at Rufaro ended in a goalless draw.
MOSES CHUNGA
On paper Gunners have the Premiership’s WEAKEST team, full of unheralded youths.
Gunners lost 14 senior players during the mid-season transfer window but they have achieved better results without them.
PLAYERS GUNNERS LOST IN JULY
Ashley Rambanapasi, Ronald Sengu, Leonard Tsipa , Edmore Mashiri, More Moyo, David Sengu, Richard Khola, Nathan Ziwini, Prince Mbara, Courage Denias, Arnold Chaka, Elvis Meleka, Kudzai Chideu, Farai Madora.
***How teams have played since Moses Chunga left CAPS United for 2009 champions Gunners.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Gunners | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 17 |
| Dynamos | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| Motor Action | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 14 |
| FC Platinum | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 12 |
| Highlanders | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 12 |
| Hwange | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Monoz | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 10 |
| Chicken Inn | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 9 |
| Blue Ribbon | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 9 |
| Shooting Stars | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 8 |
| Black Mambas | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 8 |
| Shabanie | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 6 |
| Masvingo Utd | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| CAPS United | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 4 |
| Kiglon | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 3 |
| Zim Saints | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 2 |
PSL standings before Chunga rejoined Gunners
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| FC Platinum | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 11 | 29 |
| Motor Action | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 6 | 27 |
| Highlanders | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 10 | 23 |
| Chicken Inn | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 23 |
| Dynamos | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 22 |
| CAPS United | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 17 | 21 |
| Hwange | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 20 |
| Masvingo | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Blue Ribbon | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 19 |
| Monomotapa | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 18 |
| Zim Saints | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 18 | 17 |
| Kiglon | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 14 |
| Shabanie | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 14 |
| Black Mambas | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 25 | 13 |
| Gunners | 14 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 12 |
| Shooting Stars | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 10 |
***PSL Standings NOW
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Motor Action | 21 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 9 | 41 |
| FC Platinum | 21 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 14 | 41 |
| Dynamos | 21 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 25 | 12 | 36 |
| Highlanders | 21 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 12 | 35 |
| Chicken Inn | 21 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 26 | 14 | 32 |
| Hwange | 21 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 18 | 17 | 30 |
| Gunners | 21 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 22 | 18 | 29 |
| Monoz | 21 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 21 | 17 | 28 |
| Blue Ribbon | 21 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 28 | 27 | 28 |
| Masvingo United | 20 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 21 | 26 | 26 |
| CAPS United | 21 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 30 | 27 | 25 |
| Black Mambas | 20 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 31 | 21 |
| Shabanie Mine | 21 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 36 | 20 |
| Zim Saints | 21 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 28 | 19 |
| Shooting Stars | 21 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 37 | 18 |
| Kiglon | 21 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 34 | 17 |
Bongani Ndlovu