PREMIER Soccer League action resumes midweek after a short international break with a number of mouthwatering clashes on the menu.
BY MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE
The potential game of the week is FC Platinum’s visit to the National Sports Stadium for a date with reigning champions Dynamos.
The champions find themselves in a not so familiar eighth position on the log, four points adrift of log leaders Hwange. Dynamos have been accustomed to a poor start. Last year they were winless in the first five league matches and this season they have three wins in the first seven.
Dynamos are yet to beat the platinum miners since Lloyd Mutasa assumed the reigns as FC Platinum head coach but DeMbare team manager Richard Chihoro has vowed that they will not lose to the Zvishavane-based side this time around as they are aiming to return to the apex of the log.
“FC Platinum will not beat us again. I know they will come with confidence but that will not happen again. We cannot lose at this stage of the season. We really need to catch up and retain top-spot,” said Chihoro.
The champions are still sweating over the unvailability of injured midfield enforcer Devon Chafa but Steven Alimenda will be back from international duty with the Warriors.
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Highlanders head coach Kevin Kaindu is optimistic that most of his injured stars will be available for selection for Thursday’s showdown against Harare City at Emagumeni, though Kaindu remained coy of his views regarding their next match.
“I am sure most of our injured players would have recovered by the time we host Harare City. I am one person who does not talk about winning before a match because I believe football is played on the pitch although it is important to get three points,” said Kaindu.
However, Bosso’s opponents Harare City are hungrier to collect the full set of maximum points having lost six of their opening league matches.
The city fathers were largely touted to be a team to beat this season following an inspiring run last term where they lost the title to Dynamos on the last day of the season.
The Harare municipal side recorded their first win over Triangle last week, giving embattled coach Bigboy Mawiwi some breathing space ahead of the trip to Highlanders.
“Obviously, beating Triangle brought the much-needed confidence into our work. Now it is a bit easy conducting things here, Highlanders would be tough opponents for us. Anyway, there are no easy games but we will go there looking to build up from where we left,” said Mawiwi.
Mawiwi will have to do without the services of the injured quartet of Witness Nyamutsaka, Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe, Muzondiwa Gonese and Crybert Muvuti. But fit-again goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupangedengu will be available for selection.
After today’s ZNA charity semifinal showdown with Dynamos, CAPS United will travel to Bulawayo for a date against How Mine on Wednesday hoping to get a positive result, following their disastrous last visit to the City of Kings where they were thumped 4-0 by Bosso.
Fixtures: TUESDAY 20 MAY 2014 Bantu Rovers FC vs Chicken Inn FC @ Luveve
WEDNESDAY 21 MAY 2014 How Mine FC vs Caps United FC @ Luveve Triangle U FC vs Buffaloes FC @ Gibbo Chapungu FC vs Hwange FC @ Ascot Dynamos FC vs FC Platinum @ NSS Black Rhinos FC vs ZPC Kariba @ Rimuka
THURSDAY 22 MAY 2014 Shabanie Mine vs Chiredzi FC @ Maglas SS Highlanders FC vs Harare City @ BF
