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Lloyd Mutasa

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS have given their Cameroonian forward Christian Epoupa Ntouba a break from training so that he is in the best possible shape when they meet CAPS United in the Harare Derby blockbuster on Sunday.

After assisting his team destroy How Mine and Yadah Stars in a fruitful week in which the Cameroonian striker scored three goals, Ntouba did not train with the rest of the squad yesterday.

And coach Lloyd Mutasa said Ntouba is someone who cannot handle too many games within a short space and they decided to give him a deserved rest yesterday.

“He has got one or two issues he is solving. He is a kind of person who has played too many matches in-between. When he came here, he hadn’t played two or so matches that are closer to each other.

“Some of these players, they need time out as we build up to such a big game,” Mutasa said.

The DeMbare coach believes Ntouba, who has done well this season, is in the right frame of mind with his confidence high as he makes his debut in the Harare Derby.

Mutasa has faith in his team which has many rookies.

“We have always told them football is the same. These youngsters know what it means and what is supposed to be done to come out with a crucial result.

“It is going to be a tough assignment, it’s a Derby match and everyone would want the bragging rights,’’ said Mutasa.

With both teams in good form where DeMbare have collected 15 points while the Green Machine’s run has two draws against Tsholotsho and Chapungu, Mutasa thinks it would be a tough tie.

“As a coach you would want to try as much as you can to win all the matches that you play, but in football it’s impossible.

“But all the same CAPS United have played five games, haven’t tasted defeat, same as us, so we are at the same wave length in terms of performance up to this day, we hope the better team on the day will win.

“Dynamos have beaten these teams before, but last year we were beaten by Highlanders and by CAPS United and the same can happen, come Sunday,” he said.

Crucially for the Glamour Boys, bagging three points on Sunday will be a bold step as they battle to keep themselves in the championship race.

“Every game that we play has got its significance in terms of how we finish at the end of the season hence we try as much as possible to collect maximum points in the matches that we play,” Mutasa said.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: Yadah v Bantu Rovers (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo City v ZPC Kariba (White City, 1pm), How Mine v Chicken Inn (White City, 3pm), Harare City v Tsholotsho (Rufaro, 1pm, SS), Black Rhinos v Triangle (Rufaro, 3pm).

Sunday: CAPS United v Dynamos (NSS, 3pm, SS), Highlanders v Chapungu (White City), Hwange v FC Platinum (Colliery), Shabanie Mine v Ngezi Platinum (Maglas).