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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
WITH only three days left, a titanic 90-minute battle and a bullish opponent, with nothing to lose, standing between him and a place in the history books, Callisto Pasuwa surprisingly casts a composed figure unshaken as he inches closer to his Finest Hour.
Pasuwa stands on the threshold of becoming the first coach, in the 52-year history of the domestic top-flight league dating back to 1962, to win four league titles on the trot.
Although Dynamos (1980-1983) and Highlanders (1999-2002) have won four straight league titles, the two giants used different coaches for their success stories, which means that no coach has ever lifted the championship trophy four titles on the bounce.
Pasuwa took over as DeMbare coach from his close friend Lloyd Mutasa in the second half of the 2011 league championship season and rescued a campaign, which had skidded off the rails, as the Glamour Boys turned on the style and somehow, beat FC Platinum in the race for the biggest prize in domestic football.
That title ended a four-year wait for the crown, for DeMbare, when David Mandigora turned the Glamour Boys into champions, ending a bleak 10-year search for the title — the longest such barren run — by the country’s biggest and most successful football club.
Pasuwa has built a dynasty, since winning his first league title and has guided Dynamos to success in the 2012 and 2013 seasons and on all the three occasions, the Glamour Boys have needed a superior goal difference to power their way to victory.
This year’s battle, though, is a tricky one, after Dynamos dropped four points at home in their last two home matches against Chapungu and Bantu Rovers and opened a window for ZPC Kariba who now just need to beat them at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday to take control of the championship race with just one game to go.
If ZPC Kariba, who seem to have everyone, save for the Dynamos family, in their corner, win on Saturday, they will go two points clear in the championship race and need just to beat CAPS United, who will have nothing, but their pride to play for, to be champions.
But if DeMbare win on Saturday, then it’s game over, as they will be crowned champions, with one game to spare, but Pasuwa knows that it’s not going to be an easy assignment against a team that beat them in the reverse tie, at the same stadium and are yet to lose a match in the capital, which has been their adopted home since the season opened.
“This will be one of the biggest and most challenging games of the season as it will tell us how we end our season so we are taking it seriously,” said Pasuwa.
“The players know what is at stake and they are working hard to try and win this match.
“Whatever happens, we will try our best.”
If there is something that is worrying Pasuwa, then it has to be the injuries in his camp at a time when he needs most of his men to be in the trenches for the big battle.
The Dynamos coach told The Herald that, at least, five of his men could not train during their session at Zimphos yesterday.
Defensive midfielders Devon Chafa and Stephen Alimenda, key members of his team, are still battling with injuries while Tichaona Mabvura, who played leftback on Sunday as cover for the suspended Ocean Mushure, and attacking midfielder, Walter Mukanga, also have knocks.
Pasuwa said his troops were suffering from the hard surface at Rufaro where the Glamour Boys have been playing their home ties.
“The turf at Rufaro is doing more harm than good to the players as most of them are always out injured,” said Pasuwa.
“The situation worsens if we play at the venue consecutively. We usually get several injuries after each game played there.
“Currently, we have about five players who are injured and we are still assessing Mabvura’s situation and we hope the players will recover in time for the match.
Meanwhile, Premier League chief executive, Kenny Ndebele, has said only the final games of the season will be played at the same time.
With, at least, four teams fighting relegation, many would have expected all the matches to be played at the same time.
“There is a problem concerning some match venues, but all the remaining matches will not be played at the same time,” said Ndebele.
“Only matches in the final week of the league will be played at the same time.
“We could have wanted a situation where we get the games off at the same time, but the unavailability of stadiums is not allowing us.”
Four Bulawayo teams — Highlanders, Chicken Inn, How Mine and Bantu Rovers — have been forced to use the rugby field at Hartfield as their home after Barboufields, Luveve and White City were closed for renovations ahead of the Africa Union Region Five Games set for next month.
This weekend will see two Bulawayo teams Bantu Rovers and Chicken Inn playing at home.
Fixtures
Saturday: ZPC Kariba v Dynamos (NSS),Chicken Inn v Buffaloes (Hartsfield).
Sunday: CAPS United v Harare City (NSS); Shabanie v Highlanders (Maglas), Bantu Rovers v How Mine (Hartsfield); Hwange v FC Platinum (Colliery); Chapungu v Black Rhinos (Ascot); Chiredzi v Triangle (Chishamiso)
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