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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter

DYNAMOS coach Tonderai Ndiraya and his CAPS United counterpart Lloyd Chitembwe have exuded confidence their teams will do well and advance to the next stage of the Chibuku Super Cup this weekend.

The two Harare football giants along with the rest of the teams, save for Cranborne Bullets and Bulawayo City, will this weekend shift focus from the league to the premium cup tournament’s first round.

The Glamour Boys host Whawha at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday while the Green Machine are away to Vengere for a date against Black Rhinos tomorrow.

With both sides having failed to win this cup since its re-introduction in 2013, Ndiraya and Chitembwe are hoping to lay their hands on the crown which also guarantees the winners an automatic ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup.

But, the journey starts this weekend with the first round hurdles.

Ndiraya, who will miss his captain Partson Jaure who is attending the ZIFA Level One Coaching Course at Oriel Boys High, is wary of the threat posed by Whawha.

“I wouldn’t say we are in a perfect position but we are in a good position to get a result against Whahwa on Sunday.

“Cup games are different from league games but it depends on what we want as a team. 

“We are obviously gunning for a double and the cup matches are what we can control at the moment because destiny is not in our hands in the league race,” said Ndiraya.

“We are getting into the cup match against Whawha with a different attitude and mentality. It’s up to us to get in there and put in the work.

“We are playing Whawha ,of course, they are not in a good position in the league but that doesn’t really reflect how they play as a team.

“We have been watching them and they are not a bad side. We will make sure that we field our strongest team so that we can progress to the next round.

“It’s not going to be easy but I am confident that we are going to progress. I am happy with how my players have improved. We are in a good space in terms of our type of play. This is a cup match. Teams will give everything to get a result on the day.

“Partson Jaure is doing his ZIFA Level One Coaching course and he is out of the match.”

On the other hand, Chitembwe, whose team is struggling in the league, believes Makepekepe can atone for their league disappointment with a good showing in the Chibuku Super Cup.

CAPS United have struggled all season as biting financial problems have been manifesting in the field of play but Chitembwe has done well to keep the team together and still be in a position to finish the season on stronger terms.

And the veteran gaffer can fancy his charges’ chances in the Chibuku Super Cup tournament.

Their opponents, Black Rhinos, though, are in a good space having done so well in the league and they go into this match walking with a spring in their step, having become the first team to stop FC Platinum who had gone for 10 games without dropping points.

“We have had a very disappointing season and our opponents Black Rhinos have had exactly the opposite but all the same, as CAPS United, the responsibility will never change regardless of the competition that we are playing.

“You know, we have a duty and responsibility to go out there and compete. We are going out there to compete and try to win the match,” said Chitembwe.

“There is nothing much in our carrying the Cup Kings’ tag. There is everything in what we do in the field of play. We need to prepare well and try to compete on Saturday.”

Chitembwe, unlike Ndiraya, will have one of his best defenders, Marshal Machazane, who like Jaure is also attending the ZIFA Level One Coaching Course, back for the match.

“Marshal Machazane is going to play on Saturday. We have just released him for the course and tomorrow (today) he will be with the rest of the team preparing for the Rhinos match.”

There is also a potential thriller at Baobab tomorrow where Ngezi Platinum face off against Herentals.

The latter have gone for five matches without tasting defeat and coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva will be eager to see his charges see the Mhondoro miners off.

“It’s a cup match and we are ready for it. We will go and express ourselves,” said Mutiwekuziva.

“This is a very tough game but we are ready for them. We need to make a statement in this match and in the tournament.”