ALMOST two years have passed since Dynamos made the rare trip through the sugarcane plantations of Chiredzi’s on their way to Gibbo Stadium.
REPORT BY ALBERT MARUFU
Ironically, just as last time, they make the same trip for the same BancABC Sup8r Cup quarter final, but opponents have changed with tricky Buffaloes standing in their way.
The last time they made the trip, they faced Hwange and triumphed 2-1 courtesy of Tawanda Muparati and Roderick Mutuma strikes.
Dynamos’s clash with Buffaloes is one of the double-headers scheduled for Gibbo today, with the other match to be played at 12:30pm pitting Monomotapa and defending BancABC Sup8r Cup champions Motor Action.
Buffaloes could not have asked for a better time to meet Dynamos, as the match comes just 11 days after they brewed a famous victory at Mutare’s Sakubva Stadium.
However, Dynamos vice-captain Muparati reckons that Dynamos have put their loss behind them and are looking forward to posting a win.
“When we played Buffaloes at Sakubva we lost 3-2, largely because their ground was bumpy. It is good that we are playing them at a neutral venue and I am confident that we will win. We will get inspiration from the fact that the last time we played at the same venue in the same competition, we won,” said Muparati.
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The team’s manager Richard Chihoro concurred; “Cup games are very difficult to predict and the fact that they beat us last time counts for nothing. In fact the loss will motivate us to do well,” he said.
Chihoro revealed that they will still be without the injured trio of Partson Jaure, Byron Madzorere and goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi.
“They [Jaure, Madzorere and Mukandi] have not fully recovered. They have started light training and will not be part of this game. We have able replacements,” he said.
However, Buffaloes coach Timothy Masachi who plotted Dynamos’ fall three weeks ago has a different view.
“We have the advantage of going into this match as underdogs. It is good that we now know how they play, and I am sure we are going to utilise that. We know the venue as we have played there a number of times against Triangle in Division One,” he said.
“We are aware that they have supporters everywhere, but supporters do not play football. They can be silenced if we score goals.”
The team’s captain Prosper Matizanadzo echoed his coach’s sentiments.
“We take this as a normal game and focus on winning. They are under pressure to beat us because they want to atone for last time’s loss,” he said.
In the absence of Jaure, the underrated Gift Bello will do the job in the heart of defence while Muparati, Devon Chafa anchor the midfield. Upfront there is Washington Pakamisa, Clive Kawinga and Patrick Khumbula. Buffaloes will be banking on former Dynamos son Wonder Sithole who scored in Buffaloes’ victory.
