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Lloyd Mutasa

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter—
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Mutasa is excited by the competition in the Premier Soccer League, which enters an exciting round this afternoon with the Glamour Boys facing a tricky tie against Black Rhinos at Rufaro. Mutasa, who has experienced both extremes of the good and the bad this season, is feeling motivated ahead of the date with the army side, who beat them 1-0 in the reverse fixture.

“Generally, when you look at the table, you look at Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum, Chicken Inn, Black Rhinos, Highlanders, How Mine, ourselves and ZPC Kariba, there are a lot of teams that are really itching to go all the way,’’ said Mutasa.

“Probably the most consistent team will win it. I think it’s a very competitive season and you would need to keep your feet on the ground and keep working.

“Competition is good. We have to continue pushing because we are here to compete.’’

DeMbare are currently fourth on the table on 33 points, five behind leaders Chicken Inn.

The Gamecocks are just a point above second-placed Ngezi Platinum, with FC Platinum breathing down their necks in third place with 35 points.

Dynamos, however, have two games in hand after the PSL Disciplinary Committee ordered them to play the remaining 34 minutes of their match against Chapungu, which was abandoned with the Harare giants leading 4-0 back in June.

They also have a pending date with bitter rivals CAPS United after the first instalment of this year’s Harare Derby was postponed indefinitely.

DeMbare will be without the trio of Denver Mukamba, Quality Kangadze and goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga because of illness and injuries.

Team manager Richard Chihoro said they are cautious of the challenge posed by Rhinos despite a recent poor run of two defeats by the army side.

“Whatever has been happening with them, it doesn’t matter. What we are quite aware of is that Rhinos are not a small team. The last time we played them they beat us. I would think this time they are even more dangerous because of the defeats they have suffered in their last two games. We don’t have to take such teams lightly,” said Chihoro.

Black Rhinos coach Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa said the soldiers need a big game like this one to work on their bruised confidence.

“It’s unfortunate we have been losing matches. However, we have resolved we should put a stop to that and we have been talking to the boys about it.

“So this is a game which we would want to do everything possible so that we go back to the form that we enjoyed in the first round.

“It’s unfortunate all the good work that we did in the first round was eclipsed by the seven goals that we conceded in the last two games. It’s something very worrisome to the technical department. We know we can do better than that.

“There were a lot of factors that contributed to that. First was the national team call-ups, which meant we had to draft in new players in those key defensive position and secondly the mid-season break really affected our rhythm.

“So, we are trying to put all the pieces back together. We have been working very hard with the defenders. We have been doing our best psyching up players up and I think they are ready,” said Mtizwa.

However, one of their key players Jameson Mukombwe is still down with injury.

Fixtures
Today
Bulawayo City v Shabanie Mine (Barbourfields), Yadah v Tsholotsho (Morris Depot), How Mine v Ngezi Platinum (Luveve), FC Platinum v Chicken Inn (Mandava), Black Rhinos v Dynamos (Rufaro)

Tomorrow
Highlanders v Harare City (Barbourfields), CAPS United v ZPC Kariba (NSS), Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery), Triangle United v Bantu Rovers (Gibbo).