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WILL JINX END? . . . CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe, the last Green Machine gaffer to beat Dynamos in a league match six years ago, speaks to reporters in Harare on Thursday in the company of Zimbabwe international Makepekepe utility player, Hardlife Zvirekwi, ahead of tomorrow’s showdown between the capital’s biggest rivals

Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
THERE has never been a Harare Derby that has been so overshadowed, by events elsewhere, the week has passed without the flagship encounter, set for Rufaro tomorrow, dominating the headlines.

With the ZIFA election season in full swing, and champions Dynamos struggling to remain in the championship race, it means that the focus has been elsewhere.

Things haven’t been helped by the launch of the NetOne Easycall Cup on Thursday and the fact that the battle for the championship appears now to be between Chicken Inn and FC Platinum.

CAPS United board member Alois Bunjira lamented the fact that the Harare Derby has been relegated into a sideshow.

“Amana have we been engrossed in this ZIFA elections that we forget that there is a Harare Derby this weekend? Today is Friday and all I see in newspapers is ZIFA this, Gwindi this, Chiyangwa this, Juul that . . . with colour pictures . . . All week,” he screamed on his Facebook page.

“And a little story about the game in some corner, with no picture . . . Ndobhora racho here? The elections are on the 5th of December for crying out loud . . . Plenty time to talk about these elections.

“In other countries a Derby is talked about from Monday till kick off time. Excitement is created. That is how people get eager to go watch. That is how corporates then get excited and want to be involved.

“Who will carry the day for Dynamos and CAPS United on Sunday at Rufaro Stadium? . . . My money is on CAPS United — CAPS (Tsipa 3, Chungwa 58, Fugo, 77) Dynamos 1 (Chitiyo, 94).”

However, one of the respondents reminded him that he, too, as a football pundit, has been engrossed in the ZIFA elections all week.

Former CAPS United skipper, Hardlife Zvirekwi believes the time has come for them to stop the jinx of not beating Dynamos in the league.

“I think this is the time. I think if we can go back to history everything has got a turnaround, a moment, and time when things change, so I think and believe that this is the moment,” said Zvirekwi.

“We want to end the season on a high and also, for the pride of CAPS United, we want to end in an honourable position.”

Equatorial Guinea forward, Antonio Fugo, scored a beauty, his first goal for the Green Machine, in the 1-1 draw against Triangle at the National Sports Stadium.

A highly-rated forward, whose technique and built should take him to Europe in future, Fugo was later pulled out after suffering a knock.

Coincidentally, CAPS lost their punch upfront after he was pulled out and settled for a draw.

Chitembwe said his players have been creating chances and what is left now is to simply convert them.

The two teams drew 1-1 in the reverse tie at the National Sports Stadium and tomorrow both teams are expected to bring life into the Harare Derby and prove that it still deserves pride of place in Zimbabwe football.

Dynamos coach — Tonderai Ndiraya — concedes they are meeting a different CAPS United tomorrow afternoon.

“We are concentrating on ourselves. We expect the match to be tough. I think Lloyd (Chitembwe) has brought in a lot of changes to the team and he is a good coach.

“The players are trying to impress him for next season so that makes them very dangerous. We need to be on guard, we need to be at our best,” said Ndiraya.

Dynamos are walking wounded ahead of the Derby and would be missing some of their regulars at the back.

Sydney Linyama is out with an injury while Elisha Muroiwa is also out serving a one-match suspension after accumulating three yellow cards.

Obey Mwerahari is also still out.

This leaves the coach with Ocean Mushure and Blessing Moyo as well as skipper Augustine Mbara, who had been sidelined with an injury for over a month now but is back in the team.

“The boys should be able to withstand the heat. It is 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 Ndiraya.

Although it might appear his defence is a cause of concern going into this match, the spotlight will also be on his strikers who have been struggling to score goals.

Rodreck Mutuma last scored a league goal in the team’s victory against Chicken Inn and will be hoping to strike against a team he played for at the beginning of the year.

Veteran striker Takesure Chinyama hasn’t been getting goals of late.