What colour is Harare?

. . . Dynamos under pressure to bounce back

. . . Caps confident, seek to break jinx

Sports Editor
DYNAMOS is insisting that his job is safe but Tonderai Ndiraya must know better.
A cup final defeat to Harare City cannot be followed up by another fall to Caps United.
It’s just not on in the eyes of the DeMbare bosses and the club’s mythical seven million supporters.

DeMbare need to react to that 1-2 Chibuku Super Cup humbling by City and this afternoon’s Harare Derby at Rufaro – of all venues – gives them the perfect platform.

Club boss Kenny Mubaiwa is ruling out knee jerk reactions after this clash but the soon to be dethroned champions are known to indicate right but turning left.

“I have heard speculation that we will fire the coach if we lose to Caps United and I don’t know how many times I should repeat that his job is still very safe,” said Mubaiwa.

“The hiring and firing of coaches at every opportunity will not help us. Look what is happening at Highlanders, did the firing of Kaindu improve their game? I think if you ask them today they will tell you it was a mistake.

“Tonde is a young coach with a lot of potential but in football one has to make mistakes and learn from his mistakes to be successful. He has made a number of mistakes since we appointed him and our hope is he is learning from those mistakes.”

A Season of Mistakes might as well be the title of a book that chronicles DeMbare’s tale of the 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

Mubaiwa and his team went into the market in search of tools long before they had acquired the man to do the job.

When David “Yogi” Mandigora arrived, Dynamos had roped in Dominic Chungwa and Kelvin Bulaji.A decision to let Rodreck Mutuma go had already been made.
Both Chungwa and Bulaji found the going tough.

Chungwa went back to Makepekepe as Mutuma retraced his footsteps back to DeMbare in a rare piece of business between the two capital rivals.

Bulaji stayed put at the Glamour Boys but there is nothing glamourous about him save for the hairstyle and trendy boots.

Ronald Chitiyo was a key man at the start of the season and deliberate efforts were made to revolve the DeMbare game around him.

Months later that looks like another mistake.

Chitiyo has lost the keys, he looks burnt out and is rumoured to be mulling a move across town.

Injuries and suspensions have left Ndiraya with serious calls to make with defenders Sydney Linyama, Elisha Muroiwa and Obey Mwerahari sidelined.

“It’s quite obvious we are going to make some changes but we expect the players to be at their best. It is a challenge but we have to take those challenges head on,” said the DeMbare gaffer.

In Makepekepe, a staggering Dynamos face a side that has had its eye on this one for quite some time now.Three weeks ago, the biggest story at the Green Machine was that of Nhamo Tutisani snapping up 20 percent equity in the club but for some reason Farai Jere found it prudent to talk about the clash with DeMbare.

“You see what we have now is the Caps United spirit back, we have Lloyd Chitembwe back and there is Baba Gari (Brenna Msiska) and Tostao (Kwashi) is also there and these guys are reminding the players about what it means to play Dynamos. Just wait and see,” said the Caps United president.

Chitembwe has found a way to work well with the man he took over from, Mark Mathe.

His workaholic traits have rubbed onto everyone in the dressing room and lads such as Dominic Mukandi and Joel

Ngodzo have benefitted immensely.

Ngodzo has transformed into a key Green Machine nugget.

“Look for it Jotsa, look for it,” must be Chitembwe’s favourite instruction to the back in shape midfielder.
The Caps United mentor has tasked Ngodzo with bringing others into the game and not to shy away from making mistakes.

The results have been pleasing.

In Cairo, Egypt they have Al Ahly and Zamalek; in Manchester, England there is United versus City; Milan, Italy offers one Inter versus AC and Buenos Aires, Argentina serves up the Boca Juniors versus Riverplate match up.
Harare, Zimbabwe has DeMbare versus Makepekepe.

Now is the capital blue or green?

Kick off is 3pm.