DeMbare, Mazembe on friendship move

Sport
OWN CORRESPONDENT Dynamos are making moves to formalise their friendship with three-time Africa champions TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a move mainly based on financial considerations.

 

The popular Harare club, who have lost a number of players, is in serious financial problems.

Observers say DeMbare may want to take advantage of the situation to seek financial assistance from the cash-rich DRC side that finished as the runners-up at the World Club Championships.

Dynamos chairman Farai Munetsi said they would like to sign a friendship agreement with Mazembe that would see the clubs exchanging players, playing friendly matches on top of other exchanges.

“We would want to have a friendship agreement which no one can question,” said Munetsi.

Last year, all sorts of accusations started flying that DeMbare sold their two Caf Champions League matches to TP Mazembe in their mini-league stage encounters.

This was after TP Mazembe owner Moise Katumbi made a US$50 000 cash donation to Dynamos and hosted a lavish party for the Harare club soon after Mazembe had beaten Dynamos 2-1 in Lubumbashi.

In fact, the allegations started after their first match at the National Sports Stadium in Harare when it surfaced that two middlemen had approached Dynamos claiming that they had been sent by Katumbi who was offering Dynamos US$400 000 to lose their game.

Although the allegations were not substantiated question marks were raised after the Glamour Boys lost 2-0 in a match DeMbare players performed as if they had been forced to play.

Munetsi said Dynamos would also propose to TP Mazembe the introduction of a regional tournament which would be contested for by league champions from the clubs that make up the southern part of the continent.