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Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter

DYNAMOS are making every effort to avoid playing their CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round home tie against Orapa United in Botswana, with the Harare giants considering venues in Malawi and Mozambique.

The Glamour Boys will battle the Motswana side for the right to proceed to the group stages of the second-tier African club championship next month.

Orapa United host Dynamos first at the Obedi Itani Chitani Stadium in Francistown on September 13 before the Harare giants play at home a week later.

But they are in a dilemma as they do not have a stadium to stage their home games with no venue approved for international matches in the country.

Dynamos hosted their opponents ZESCO United of Zambia in the first preliminary at the National Stadium in Gaborone, Botswana.

But they can’t afford to give Orapa United a double home advantage by hosting them in Botswana.

The National Stadium is not available for the second preliminary round, anyway and DeMbare have to play at the Obedi Itani Chitani Stadium should they opt to host Orapa in Botswana.

However the team leadership is running around to get an alternative venue away from Botswana after their preferable ground National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia was ruled out.

The giant facility is said to be undergoing some upgrade for the next four months and cannot be availed to the Zimbabweans.

South African stadiums are also not available as authorities here were told by their counterparts down south that the venues will be in use during that time.

Dynamos have, through ZIFA, applied for Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi and the Estádio Nacional do Zimpeto in Maputo, Mozambique as alternatives.

Club executive chairman Moses Maunganidze yesterday said they are keeping their fingers crossed.

“Our first preference was the Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia but it is not available. Then we also tried the National Heroes Stadium in the same city which was used by our colleagues Ngezi Platinum Stars in the CAF Champions League first preliminary.

“However, it is said to be undergoing some renovations and cannot be availed,” said Maunganidze.

“The only other option in Zambia is the Levi Mwanawasa in Ndola where we played ZESCO United away last week.

“But the logistics of getting there are very difficult.

“So we have applied for stadiums in Malawi and Mozambique so far. We are waiting for responses”.

Maunganidze said Dynamos will do everything to avoid playing in Botswana twice because that will aid the opponent.

“We are doing all we can to host our match outside Botswana to avoid giving Orapa United an added advantage,” he added.

“We will only do that when we see, beyond any doubt, that there is no other option. But we shouldn’t even find ourselves in that position”.

Meanwhile, Dynamos coach Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe says his charges should fully focus when they host Chegutu Pirates in the domestic league at Rufaro on Sunday.

They will be without Tanaka Shandirwa who got a knock on Tuesday to add to the expansive list of casualties at the club.

“Look, every team will come at us with full force, so we need to fully concentrate when we face Chegutu Pirates on Sunday,” said Chigowe.

“Shandirwa, Kevin Moyo, and Sadney Uri-Khob are all injured but we will have to do with those available.

“We are coming from success in the CAF Confederation Cup and that should not sway our attention when it comes to the local league detail. We expect a tough challenge but we are prepared to play positive football.”