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Grace Chingoma and Eddie Chikamhi
THE capital’s Big Two — Dynamos and CAPS United — get their campaign underway to bring back the Castle Lager Premiership trophy to Harare, where it has been resident for eight of the last nine years, this weekend with Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino tipping the Green Machine to win their first league title in more than a decade.

The Glamour Boys are away at champions Chicken Inn, the only club outside the capital to win the championship in the past nine years, with the two clashing in a battle royale at Luveve this afternoon.

The match is live on SuperSport.

CAPS United are in action tomorrow when they plunge into battle at the National Sports Stadium, the scene of wild celebrations on Easter Monday when the Warriors crushed Swaziland in a Nations Cup qualifier, with the Green Machine — whose star Hardlife Zvirekwi had a dream game for the national team — hosting bogey side Chapungu.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas has predicted a “cracker” of a match at Luveve and yesterday said it was interesting that the Gamecocks, who had an unsuccessful run in their maiden CAF Champions League earlier this year, have an immediate test of their strengths in the league with the first match of the season.

The former Motor Action gaffer was crowned Coach of the Year last year after ending Dynamos’ four year dominance in the domestic Premiership.

But considering that the Harare giants almost wrecked their campaign when they came to Bulawayo and beat them 1-0 in the title run-in, Antipas said they always expect tough games against DeMbare.

“We are quite looking forward to start the season. We know 2016 will be tough just because being the reigning champions all the teams will be coming for us.

“And we also have a tough opening fixture against Dynamos. They are the former champions, they have a new coach with a different philosophy so we expect a difficult game. I know it will be a cracker,” said Antipas.

The Gamecocks have retained most of their players from last season and have bolstered their squad with the arrival of veteran forward Obidiah Tarumbwa, Young Warriors defender Teenage Hadebe, ex-Dongo Sawmill forward Physwell Hadebe and Moses Demera.

Apart from Toto Banda, who joined How Mine and Bheki Ncube, who disappeared off the radar, Chicken Inn are looking to have continuity with skipper Danny Phiri leading the side that also has veteran Clement Matawu, Edmore Chirambadare, George Majika, Mitchelle Katsvairo, Thabani Goredema, Raphael Kutinyu and Ishmael Lawe.

“Of course, we are the defending champions, but that is not a guarantee we will win it again this year. We need to be focused and personally I am not looking too far ahead of ourselves.

“Like we did last season, we hope to take it game by game and see how it goes. So our focus now is on the game against Dynamos,” said Antipas.

Their opponents have made it clear that their mandate this year is to reclaim the championship and have hired Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva.

The Harare giants have beefed up with the likes of ex-Triangle midfielder Tichaona Chipunza, Dominic Mukandi, Jimmy Dzingai, Ashley Reyners and Valentine Ndaba.

But the coach is not happy with his strike-force which he had wanted to boost, especially after losing Takesure Chinyama who has now returned to Poland to join third division side LZS Piotrówka.

Chinyama was offloaded this month because of injury concerns, but has been gladly welcomed by his new employers who believe the 33-year-old still has something special in him.

It now appears Silva may have to do with the personnel at his disposal as DeMbare revealed yesterday they have dropped plans to take on board Cameroon forward Sunday Djouta.

Dynamos secretary-general, Webster Chikengezha, said they discovered that his work papers were not in order.

“Of course he is a good player, but we couldn’t take him on board because he has issues with his papers. He needs to put his papers in place first.

“We gathered that he was playing for Masvingo United last season and we have talked to the club and they gave us his clearance, but then the problem is he doesn’t have an International Transfer Certificate.

“How he played for Masvingo, we don’t know, but as Dynamos we are saying we are a big brand and we don’t want to be caught up in controversial matters,” said Chikengezha.

Chapungu coach Nyikadzino has tipped CAPS United to win the championship this season.

“CAPS United have changed from the coach to the players and everyone is tipping them to win the league. But, interestingly, as a club we always get such kind of fixtures in our opening matches and last season our first match was an away match against How Mine who were also pre-season favourites and we managed to do well,” said Nyikadzino.

“But we know this is going to be a tough match and history doesn’t count much in football, the better team of the day will win.

“We are happy with our preparations and we have been preparing for CAPS United since the fixtures came out.

“We basically maintained the same squad so continuity should do us well. I am happy for Tinei (Chitora, who has moved to ZPC Kariba) because this development means we are a club which develops talent and at one stage he looked as if he was finished, but he has revived his career and is back at the top of his game.”

The club still has other able forwards in the mould of Patrick Kumbula, Allan Tavarwisa and Phillip Marufu.

CAPS United president Farai Jere has demanded that the club repay the loyalty of their fans with the league title, a silverware he won as team manager when the Green Machine were last crowned champions in 2005.

They now have in their ranks midfielders Archford Gutu and Devon Chafa, Abbas Amidu, Cabby Kamhapa, Allan Gahadzikwa and Tafadzwa Rusike.

They have also boosted their defence with Dennis Dauda, Ronald Pfumbidzai and goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda.

“Morale is very high we have managed to prepare well this pre-season and come Sunday we hope to do well,” said midfielder Moses Muchenje.

“I must say competition is very good to the team and the new guys who have joined us we welcome them and I hope they will do well and help us win things at CAPS United.”

CAPS United even released the first XI who will be in action for them tomorrow.

CAPS UNITED XI

Jorum Muchambo, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Justice Jangano, Steven Makatuka, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Kudzi Nyamufukudza, Moses Muchenje, Phineas Bhamusi, Tafadzwa Rusike, Joel Ngodzo and Dominic Chungwa.

Fixtures

Today: Chicken Inn v Dynamos (Barbourfields, SS), ZPC Kariba v Border Strikers (Nyamhunga), FC Platinum v Tsholotsho (Mandava).

Tomorrow: Mutare City Rovers v Ngezi (Sakubva), CAPS United v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium), Hwange v Highlanders (Colliery), Triangle v Harare City (Gibbo).