THE outcome of the BancABC Sup8r Cup quarter final clash between Dynamos and Gunners at Rufaro on Sunday will impact the two teams in many different ways.
The winner will gain a psychological advantage going into the final stretch of the 2009 CBZ Premiership title race in which the two Harare teams are neck and neck.Gunners, coached by Dynamos legend Moses Chunga, heightened pressure on their rivals after they hammered Black Rhinos 4-1 on Saturday to go top of the log. Morale seems to be at ebbing at Dembare after their successive nil draws with Black Rhinos and Eagles. They also lacked motivation to lose the Nestle Charity Shield final to Caps United.At one stage, Dembare looked so invincible at the top after a fine run which followed the appointment of Elvis Chiweshe as coach. A win against Gunners on Sunday is desperately needed to get their confidence back ahead of three tricky PSL fixtures. In the next three weeks, they face perennial nemesis Caps United, who continue to have the wood over them, then Gunners and an away fixture against Highlanders in Bulawayo.Dynamos’ main weakness has been upfront. The absence of their reliable goal scorer Cuthbert Malajila, away on trials in Europe, has had a telling effect. They have not scored a goal in 180 minutes in the league against relatively small opposition.Gunners, in contrast, are enjoying a fine run. They have done remarkably well to maintain balance and shape after losing two of their most infleuncial players, Zhaimu Jambo and Ovidy Karuru to South Africa and France, respectively. This show of depth could carry the day for them. Another interesting angle is that the leading players at Gunners are former Dynamos men who were deemed surplus to requirement. These are the PSL’s leading goal scorer Norman Maroto, captain Trymore Mutisi, inform midfielder Ramson Zhuwawo and agile goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube.And Dynamos do have a history of being hurt by their former players.
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Henry Mhara
