Sports / Soccer
Bantu Rovers not intimidated by Dynamos
29 Jun 2017 at 01:39hrs | Views
BANTU Rovers are not intimidated by Dynamos' rampaging form and believe pressure will be on the Harare giants when they face off in a Castle Lager Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow night.
Dynamos have struck a rich vein of form that has seen them going on a six-game unbeaten run made up of five wins and a draw.
DeMbare now sit fourth on the league table with 26 points from 13 games and trail log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars by two points.
Rovers are in the relegation zone, second from the bottom of the table, and will be seeking to end an eight-game winless streak.
The last time Rovers picked up maximum points was on May 6 when they clobbered Yadah FC 7-2.
Rovers go to Harare on the back of a 0-1 loss to Chapungu, while Dynamos edged Bulawayo City 4-3 in a thriller.
Rovers' team manager Agent Sawu said despite results not coming their way, the players were upbeat.
"We are going to Harare as underdogs and they can underrate us at their own peril. The boys are ready and morale is high because they understand the magnitude of the game and all of them want to perform to the best of their abilities. There is a possibility of us getting a positive result because pressure will be on Dynamos who want to maintain their unbeaten run and we could pounce on their mistakes," said Sawu.
Rovers will be without defender David Mubaiwa, who is serving a suspension for a red card shown to him in the game against Chapungu.
The relegation-threatened side is also fretting over the availability of defender Dumisani Fazo Ndlovu, who is subject to a late fitness test.
Veteran utility player Tapiwa Khumbuyani, the league's leading scorer Bukhosi Sibanda, goalkeeper Njabulo Notice Dube, midfielder Munyaradzi Chitambwe, defender Shadreck Nyahwa and striker Obrey Chirinda are the players burdened with leading Rovers' fight.
The youngsters will be meeting Dynamos for the seventh time in the league since 2009 when the club was formed.
The best result Rovers have posted against the Harare giants was a 0-0 draw in November 2014 — the last time two teams met — as Rovers went on to be relegated.
"This is a different ball game altogether with different players that are eager to get a positive result. We've got a young squad with a couple of experienced players who have been playing well, but luck has been eluding us in front of goal. We're looking forward to a brighter future and very soon we will start getting results we wish for and it might be on Friday, who knows," Sawu said.
Rovers' rearguard must find a way to deal with DeMbare's leading scorer Christian Epoupa, who has netted five times, attacking midfielder Denver Mukamba and winger Manuel Mandiranga.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Dynamos v Bantu Rovers (National Sports Stadium, SuperSport, 6PM)
Saturday: Tsholotsho FC v Triangle United (Dulivhadzimo), Ngezi Platinum v FC Platinum (Baobab, SuperSport, 3PM), Chapungu v Chicken Inn (Ascot), ZPC Kariba v Black Rhinos (Nyamhunga), Harare City v Hwange (Morris)
Sunday: Highlanders v Yadah FC (Barbourfields), Shabanie Mine v How Mine (Maglas), Bulawayo City v Caps United (postponed)
Dynamos have struck a rich vein of form that has seen them going on a six-game unbeaten run made up of five wins and a draw.
DeMbare now sit fourth on the league table with 26 points from 13 games and trail log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars by two points.
Rovers are in the relegation zone, second from the bottom of the table, and will be seeking to end an eight-game winless streak.
The last time Rovers picked up maximum points was on May 6 when they clobbered Yadah FC 7-2.
Rovers go to Harare on the back of a 0-1 loss to Chapungu, while Dynamos edged Bulawayo City 4-3 in a thriller.
Rovers' team manager Agent Sawu said despite results not coming their way, the players were upbeat.
"We are going to Harare as underdogs and they can underrate us at their own peril. The boys are ready and morale is high because they understand the magnitude of the game and all of them want to perform to the best of their abilities. There is a possibility of us getting a positive result because pressure will be on Dynamos who want to maintain their unbeaten run and we could pounce on their mistakes," said Sawu.
Rovers will be without defender David Mubaiwa, who is serving a suspension for a red card shown to him in the game against Chapungu.
The relegation-threatened side is also fretting over the availability of defender Dumisani Fazo Ndlovu, who is subject to a late fitness test.
Veteran utility player Tapiwa Khumbuyani, the league's leading scorer Bukhosi Sibanda, goalkeeper Njabulo Notice Dube, midfielder Munyaradzi Chitambwe, defender Shadreck Nyahwa and striker Obrey Chirinda are the players burdened with leading Rovers' fight.
The youngsters will be meeting Dynamos for the seventh time in the league since 2009 when the club was formed.
The best result Rovers have posted against the Harare giants was a 0-0 draw in November 2014 — the last time two teams met — as Rovers went on to be relegated.
"This is a different ball game altogether with different players that are eager to get a positive result. We've got a young squad with a couple of experienced players who have been playing well, but luck has been eluding us in front of goal. We're looking forward to a brighter future and very soon we will start getting results we wish for and it might be on Friday, who knows," Sawu said.
Rovers' rearguard must find a way to deal with DeMbare's leading scorer Christian Epoupa, who has netted five times, attacking midfielder Denver Mukamba and winger Manuel Mandiranga.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Dynamos v Bantu Rovers (National Sports Stadium, SuperSport, 6PM)
Saturday: Tsholotsho FC v Triangle United (Dulivhadzimo), Ngezi Platinum v FC Platinum (Baobab, SuperSport, 3PM), Chapungu v Chicken Inn (Ascot), ZPC Kariba v Black Rhinos (Nyamhunga), Harare City v Hwange (Morris)
Sunday: Highlanders v Yadah FC (Barbourfields), Shabanie Mine v How Mine (Maglas), Bulawayo City v Caps United (postponed)
Source - chronicle
