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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS coach Tonderai Ndiraya says they are not worried about how their rivals in the championship race, Chicken Inn and FC Platinum, are doing and the Glamour Boys will only concentrate on their campaign.

The champions will host Harare City at Rufaro on Sunday, 24 hours after both their rivals had played their league matches, and — with six games to go before the end of the season — Ndiraya believes his men should just focus on what they can change.

“If we try and focus on what Chicken Inn and FC Platinum are doing then we will lose our concentration,” the gaffer said yesterday.

“We will try as much as possible to be ourselves and concentrate on what we can do as a team.

“The boys have really done well in the previous games and we hope that will carry us through.

“If you think about the other teams then you are going to lose focus on your matches. Yes, of course, it is quite normal to think about the other teams but we are trying to push our boys, trying to talk to our boys so that we concentrate on our games and get points.”

He conceded that it will not be easy to win a fifth straight league title, something that no other team has done in this country.

“We have character as a club, we have done it in previous seasons but this is a new season altogether and we have some new players in the squad.

“But we have hope, especially having gotten a result in our previous match against Chicken Inn. Everyone is now believing and we hope it will not stop there, we will continue with the same mentality and the same form and, hopefully, we will get maximum points.”

Dynamos would be missing the services of midfielder Stephen Alimenda who is on suspension after accumulating three yellow cards.

Also missing would be defender Obey Mwerahari who is injured. Skipper Augustine Mbara and goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi remain on the sidelines with injuries.

“We are geared up. They (Harare City) are quite a formidable side. They have a good coach in Taurai Mangwiro.

“It is a derby and you know derbies are difficult.”

The Harare City forwards have been in terrific form in the Chibuku Super Cup and it’s something that Ndiraya has noted.

The Sunshine Boys have been on song with their players netting braces and hat-tricks for fun.

On Saturday, Harare City striker Fransesco Zekumbawira scored a brace in their 4-1 demolition of ZPC Kariba while in the quarter-final, midfielder William Manondo slammed a hat-trick when they dismissed Triangle 5-0.

“We are quite relaxed and, hopefully, the boys will give it their best shot on Sunday,” said Ndiraya.

“It is not going to be an easy match, Harare City are quite a formidable side, quite strong in all departments. “They have shown what they can do and have scored quite a number of goals in recent games. We are quite aware of that and we are planning accordingly and we hope we will be as tight as possible so that we stop their marauding strikers.”

Ndiraya is backing his men ahead of this showdown.

“We are equally good. We have a very potent strike force, our midfield is also quite good and our defence has been the best so far. I think the last time we conceded many goals was when we played FC Platinum at Mandava,” said the Dynamos coach.

“So we are getting confidence from the way we have gone with our business recently. Hopefully, we will come out victors.

“We have a lot of respect for Harare City, they have a good coach in Taurai Mangwiro, but they must also realise that we are Dynamos, a huge club for that matter and if they can take us lightly it would be at their own peril.

“What we have done is to try and assist the boys mentally so that we try and focus on our matches. We are focusing on ourselves, what we can control and try and forget what the other teams are doing.

“I think that way it will assist us going forward in the remaining matches.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: How Mine v Chicken Inn (Luveve), ZPC Kariba v CAPS United (Nyamhunga), FC Platinum v Whawha (Mandava), Buffaloes v Tsholotsho (Sakubva).

Sunday: Triangle v Flame Lily (Gibbo), Dynamos v Harare City (Rufaro), Highlanders v Dongo Sawmill (Barbourfields), Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery).