‘We should play like true champs’

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS captain Murape Murape says the Glamour Boys need to keep their eyes on the ball and play like champions when they face bitter rivals Highlanders in tomorrow’s blockbuster Castle Lager Premiership tie at Barbourfields.
Murape yesterday said the Glamour Boys need the win badly to shore up their campaign in defence of their title following a slump in form which affected them in the last month.
DeMbare recently lost pole position to Highlanders and are now trailing by two points in a tight race with five games remaining in the season.

Although a win tomorrow might not guarantee them the championship, Murape said they aim for maximum points to boost chances of retaining the league title they have won in the last two years in succession.

Bosso are on 47 points while Dynamos are tied on 45 with surprise packages Harare City who host Buffaloes at Rufaro this afternoon.
A defeat for the Harare giants might see them losing considerable ground in the marathon.

“We are the champions and we must play like champions to make sure that we retain our title. Nothing comes easy and I am confident we have the quality and character to beat Highlanders.

“Of course, they are a very good side but as the defending champions and a team aiming at another title we should enjoy the challenge they are giving us.

“People are talking of pressure but in reality it’s Highlanders who are under enormous pressure because they are the ones who haven’t beaten us in seven years.

“They are also the ones who haven’t won the title in seven years yet we have won it in the last two years.
“We have been in such tight situations before and we managed to come out tops. I am sure we have the strength to do it again.

“To meet Highlanders at this stage makes it more exciting because it has been a while since we played such an important game with a more direct bearing on either team’s chances in the championship race,” said Murape.

He wants his team to evoke the spirit of Mandava in 2011.
“I remember we played FC Platinum in 2011 towards the end of the season and the match changed everything when we won. If they had won they were going to be champions.

“However, FC Platinum were just a new team then. So this game is much bigger because these are the country’s two biggest teams meeting in a match that holds so much.

“But victory on Sunday doesn’t guarantee any team the championship because there are still four games to play and there is also Harare City and FC Platinum coming in with good chances,” added Murape.

History favours the Glamour Boys as Dynamos have not lost to Highlanders in the league competition since 2006. The Glamour Boys have won seven and drawn six of the last 13 meetings to keep a dominance of nearly seven years intact.

They have had good memories at Barbourfields where they won three of the matches and drew the same number.
Interestingly, for the Glamour Boys they have managed to come out, at least, with a scoring result whether they won or they drew except in 2011 when they played a goalless draw.

Dynamos’ last victory at the venue in 2010 was endorsed through the boardroom when they were awarded the match on a 3-0 scoreline after the match was abandoned due to crowd trouble.

The Harare giants, who had trailed by a single goal, scored two late goals to take the lead but angry supporters forced the abandonment.
Murape said while it may not be wise to bank on history, the Glamour Boys are hoping to continue with their fine run.

“History doesn’t count much because this is a completely new game. Of course, it’s nice that we have been winning against them for the past seven years but it’s important that we prepare for now.

“A lot of changes have taken place and we shouldn’t expect the same fortunes to continue. We would need to focus on the job at hand because we live in the present and not in the past.

“The key is to play our normal game and avoid putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure. That winning mentality against Highlanders should spur us on, though.

“We usually have good games at Barbourfields and we have won a couple of times there against odds. We are very happy to play there and we enjoy everything at Barbourfields including the warm support that we get from our fans.

“Also, the turf there is natural and is good for the players unlike at Rufaro where the surface is hard and usually inhibits the players to fully express themselves,” said Murape.

But DeMbare’s form has been worrying of late especially their misfiring strikeforce.
Callisto Pasuwa’s frontline spearheaded by Washington Pakamisa, Patrick Khumbula, Clive Kawinga and returning Simba Sithole has apparently struggled in front of goal.

Pakamisa, however, appeared to have redeemed himself with a fantastic goal in their last match against Tripple B, which ended a goal drought spanning over three months.

Prior to that win, DeMbare had many things to worry about — the boo boys and concerns about match officials who usually get overwhelmed by such big matches.

The 4-0 thrashing of Tripple B was a big morale booster they needed ahead of this big clash.
Murape said they hope to be physically and mentally prepared for the match. The Harare giants are set to leave today with a full strength squad as they have no injury worries in their camp.

“We must be prepared for anything. You don’t need to concentrate more on what is happening on the terraces or outside the field of play because those things may distract your attention.

“Sometimes players may also get frustrated by referees in such big matches but that should not be allowed to kill the spirit. We hope for Fair Play.

“There is no need for players to remonstrate against referees’ decisions because that obviously impacts negatively on overall performance.
“So we should focus on our job of playing football as professionals and leave the referees to do theirs in a professional manner. We should respect them because they are trained for their jobs,” said Murape.