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Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter

DYNAMOS are meticulously taking care of every detail as they itch to skip the final hurdle and clinch a place in the CAF Confederation Cup group stages where they will be guaranteed a minimum of US$400 000.

The Glamour Boys are closer to getting over the line as they carry a slight advantage over their second preliminary-round opponents, Orapa United, of Botswana.

Winger Valentine Kadonzvo rose from the bench to get the solitary goal that handed Dynamos the advantage at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown last Sunday.

DeMbare were the away team and hoping to finish off the job when they host Orapa United at the same venue on Sunday.

Botswana has become the Harare giants’ temporary home away from Rufaro, the National Sports Stadium or Barbourfields as none of the trio of facilities is approved to host international matches by the Confederation of African Football.

While they had initially planned to set base in Bulawayo after the first leg, Dynamos have decided against travelling back home and will now stay put in the neighbouring country ahead of Sunday’s decisive showdown.

They are staying at a resort area in Francistown while training at a facility close to the match venue.

Dynamos chairman Moses Maunganidze yesterday said the Harare giants were doing everything in their power to avoid any slip-ups.

Coach Lloyd Chigowe has already likened their first leg victory over Orapa United to a first-half result and insisted that the battle has not yet been won.

“We are leaving nothing to chance as a club. We really need to attend to all issues and make sure that every margin is taken care of,’’ Maunganidze said.

“Rather than travelling back to Bulawayo as per our initial plan, we decided to stay put in Botswana.

“The team is staying at a resort and everything is going well.

“Setting up base in Bulawayo would have been advantageous for us because we would have been training and living in familiar territory.

“But we wanted to minimise movement as well and allow those with little knocks time to recover while relaxed.

“We are training at the old stadium owned by the municipality which used to host all the matches played in Francistown before the homologation of the new stadium.

“Everything is flowing and we are very happy as Dynamos. Hopefully, we will be able to pull through on Sunday”.

Maunganidze added that all was well in the Glamour Boys camp “and the players can’t wait for the match on Sunday.

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“The morale in the camp is high and all the players are eager to go out there and defend the badge.

“The technical team is working on all the necessary facets of the game to make sure the troops remain focused and this includes mental and physical preparation,” added Maunganidze.

Dynamos are hoping that two of their key players — winger Issah Sadiki and Namibian forward Sadney Urikhob — will pass late fitness tests and be part of the squad to face Orapa United.

Urikhob was injured ahead of Dynamos’ first preliminary round second leg against ZESCO United of Zambia and had to be replaced by Emmanuel Paga who put in a good shift as DeMbare gallantly defended a 1-0 lead from the first league to muddle through to this stage.

Both Urikhob and Sadiki are already training with Maunganidze expressing confidence they will be fit enough to be in the team on Sunday.

Meanwhile, it could be deja vu for Dynamos, should they make it past Orapa United as there is a strong possibility that they could meet one or more of the teams they last faced in the Champions League group stage in 2008.

DeMbare last made their presence felt in the continental inter-club competitions in 2008 when the late David “Yogi” Mandigora guided them to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

After an incredible run in the initial stages including their elimination of Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel in the second first round, Dynamos would go on to get past a tough group only to lose in the semi-finals to Cameroon’s Coton Sport Garoua.

Their Champions League group had the trio of past winners — ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire and the Egyptian pair of Al Ahly and Zamalek.

And 16 years on, DeMbare could be thrown into the same group with any of ASEC and Zamalek should the two clubs also advance to the group stage.

ASEC must overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Togolese side AS Kara while Zamalek will host Kenyan outfit Police FC while holding a 1-0 advantage.

Dynamos, who have a documented history of financial challenges, could also come out of this tournament with a changed standing as CAF have put in huge incentives in the competition.

The winners will get US$2 million while the runners-up get half that amount with semi-finalists picking US$750 000 each.

Those clubs who will bow out in the quarter-finals will each be US$550 000-richer.

The teams who will not make it out of the group stages will each earn US$400 000.