Dembare lose key players

DYNAMOS could be without five key players for their home match against Yadah at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

Midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa, who has been a vital cog in the team so far, Denver Mukamba and defender Kelvin Moyo, are all suspended for the match after accumulating three yellow cards each.

Moyo has played every minute of the club's league matches in the current campaign.

To make matters worse, Donald Dzvinyai, who has been partnering Moyo since the injury to the now fit Frank Makarati, is down with a bout of flu.

The former Harare City centreback was the fall guy in Dynamos' 1-0 defeat to Green Fuel last week after he missed a first half penalty.

Winger Issa Sadiki, who is on loan from Yadah, is barred from facing his parent club.

Speaking at his pre-match Press conference yesterday, Dynamos coach Herbert Maruwa confirmed the key absentees from Dynamos' trip to Bulawayo on Sunday.

He is, however, confident that the replacements will ably do the job.

"We registered 30 players and I'm hopeful anyone who will be given a chance to play is going to impress," Maruwa said.

"There are things you cannot control as a coach and it's happening and we will miss these guys but we have to play the game. Those who are going to come in will have to do well and try to cement their places in the team."

Both teams are going into the match with their tails firmly tucked behind after they lost their last matches last week.

Yadah were beaten 3-1 by Chicken Inn, while Dynamos fell against Rodwell Dhlakama's side who ended the Harare giants' four-match unbeaten run.

Maruwa said his players had gone over last weekend's setback.

"The defeat against Green Fuel last week is now water under the bridge. We have managed to regroup as a team and we are in good shape. We are ready to play Yadah in Bulawayo. We need to go there and make sure we collect maximum points."

Dynamos wasted a number of good chances against Green Fuel, including a Dzvinyai penalty miss.

The DeMbare coach admitted the penalty miss was the match's turning point, although he feels complacency played a major part in the shock defeat against the relegation strugglers.

"We got a lot of chances which we missed, so in football if you get your chances and fail to convert, you get punished. They got only one chance and made it count. We tried to come back but we couldn't score. Maybe it wasn't our day. But I feel the main issue was about complacency. We are trying to work on that to make sure mentally we are prepared so that we recover from that defeat by getting a positive result."

Recent battles between the two city rivals have been fought closely, and Maruwa reckons the weekend clash would be no different.

"Yadah has always been a stubborn opponent for us but this time around we have to make sure we win. At this stage of the season we have to make sure we go there and get three points. At this stage of the season, every team is playing for something, some are playing to avoid relegation and some are in the title race, so we have to distinguish ourself. But we will need to be at our best."