The nomadic coach, whose charges last beat Dynamos in 2006, believes his team should concentrate more on survival in the premiership where they are placed second from the bottom.
With four games to go and three teams being relegated at the end of the season, the battle for survival is getting hotter, with four teams – Shabanie, Kiglon Shooting Stars and Zimbabwe Saints — facing the chop.
Zimbabwe Saints anchor the bottom of the log with 22 points while Shooting Stars sit second from the bottom, a point ahead of Saints.
Shooting Stars’ neighbours Kiglon are third from the bottom with 28 points while Shabanie have garnered 28 points.
It is against this background that Mathuthu, whose side has not beaten Dynamos in 12 meetings, feels that the game has come at a bad time for his side as they have to concentrate more on the league than on Cup games.
“Dynamos are just like any other team in the league. We might not have beaten the team in a long time, but I believe there is always a first. I would not want to be like Paul the Octopus, but know that there is always a first. Who knows, Sunday (today) could be our game,” said Mathuthu.
“There is not much difference in terms of the talent at disposal in the league, but what differs is the technical teams. Against Dynamos, it is just a psychological barrier that affects most of the teams.
“However, in Sunday’s (today) game my personal opinion is that we should focus on the league and not Cup games. Our position in the league is not pleasing at all.”
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Though he has an experienced side that includes Muneri Muchineripi and the former Dynamos trio of players Tofireyi Sambo, Eddie Mashiri and goalkeeper Willard Manyathela, his side looks like sheep heading for slaughter.
Dynamos, who are also chasing the league title, are bubbling with confidence after clobbering long-time rivals Highlanders to reduce the gap on the log to just a point.
In their ranks they have match winners in the league’s top goal scorer Rodrick Mutuma who scored a brace in that memorable victory. Also available is the trio of Archford Gutu, Denvar Mukamba and Cuthbert Malajila.
Mutuma, the league’s leading scorer with 12 goals, has already fired warning shots at Shooting Stars.
“We are definitely going to win. Morale is high in the team and it does not matter that we will be playing in Zvishavane,” he said.
Veteran Murape Murape and goalkeeper Washington Arubi looks set to feature in the match despite efforts by their club Highfield United to stop them from playing in today’s match. United are demanding US$6 500 from Dynamos as payment for the two players and have since written to Zifa. In another quarter-final match Blue Ribbon takes on Motor Action at Torwood in Redcliff today. Find the FC PLatinum versus Gunners match report inside.
