Zimpapers Logo

Grace Chingoma in HARARE and Munyaradzi Doma in ZVISHAVANE
CAMEROONIAN forward Christian Epoupa Joel Ntoupa flew back into Harare yesterday from a short break to join his Dynamos teammates who resume their Castle Lager Premiership campaign against FC Platinum at Mandava this afternoon.

Ntoupa has become a hit at DeMbare that all the club’s players went to the Harare International Airport to welcome him back to the capital.

However, his flight was delayed and the club decided to proceed with their trip, but tasked one club official to welcome the player and drive him straight to their camp in Gweru.

Ntouba later arrived and proceeded straight to Gweru.

Coach Lloyd Mutasa is confident Ntouba will rise to the occasion this afternoon.

“He missed training with the rest of the team because he had gone home for a short break, but he was training on his own so I think it shouldn’t be much of a problem,” said Mutasa.

“We want goals, we lost to FC Platinum in the first round, but we have done our homework.

“It feels good to be back. Biggie (Zuze) did a good job.

“If you look at the last game it was a draw away against Chicken Inn so you can see it has really been a good run for us.

“Nothing has changed at the club, we still have the same personnel so we would want to continue from where we left. As an institution our success can only be measured if we are able to maintain our form and consistency.”

FC Platinum have acquired former Dynamos forward Takesure Chinyama, former Highlanders and Bulawayo City striker Mkhokheli Dube as well as Ali Sadiki.

Meanwhile, former DeMbare star Brett Amidu says he is not under pressure as he prepares to meet his old paymasters.

“There is nothing different about this game, it’s just that we are playing against Dynamos, the team I played for before I came here,’’ the FC Platinum midfielder said.

“I don’t know the attitude that they will have when they come here considering that I played for them.

“But soccer is the same, it’s just like playing Bantu or any other team, there is nothing that is different, it’s the same.

“In soccer you can only put pressure on yourself to think that ‘oh I’m playing against Dynamos’, but if you just take all games to be the same, then there is no pressure to talk about.”

He said his working relationship with coach Norman Mapeza was good.

“He encourages me even when I feel that I’m not doing well, he is there for me, so everyone here is very supportive because they believe in me.

“I saw that my performance improved as the (first half of the) season ended and I want to build on that.”

Fixtures

Today: Chicken Inn v Bantu Rovers (Luveve), How Mine v ZPC Kariba (Luveve), Yadah v Harare City (Morris Depot), FC Platinum v Dynamos (Mandava), CAPS United v Shabanie Mine (NSS), Hwange v Tsholotsho (Colliery)

Tomorrow: Bulawayo City v Highlanders (Barbourfields), Black Rhinos v Ngezi Platinum (Morris Depot), Triangle United v Chapungu (Gibbo),

Saturday: Bantu Rovers v FC Platinum (Luveve), Tsholotsho v How Mine (Dulivadzimo), ZPC Kariba v Yadah (Nyamhunga), Harare City v CAPS United (NSS)

Sunday: Shabanie Mine v Highlanders (Maglas), Dynamos v Triangle United (NSS), Chicken Inn v Bulawayo City (Luveve), Chapungu v Black Rhinos (Ascot), Ngezi Platinum v Hwange (Baobab).