Sports / Soccer
Dembare in Epoupa scare
07 Aug 2017 at 17:07hrs | Views
ON-FIRE Dynamos could suffer from Ntouba Epoupa's groin injury as they chase Ngezi Platinum and Chicken Inn in the title race.
The striker was pulled out of DeMbare's 1-0 win over Black Rhinos in the second half at Rufaro on Saturday.
That injury-inspired substitution forced the former champions to play with a 'false nine' as they had already pulled out another natural striker, Tawanda Macheke minutes earlier.
Emmanuel Mandiranga and Masimba Mambare were now leading the attack for the remainder of the game but Ocean Mushure's first half goal straight from a corner kick had already settled matters.
Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa has indicated they will be in a better picture today when they start training.
"It is only on Monday that we will know the situation," said Mutasa.
However, DeMbare could just receive a boost with the expected return of Denver Mukamba.
"Denver was down with flu and he never had any part for the rest of the week," he said.
The current situation could force Mutasa to play Macheke as the outright striker while Mukamba comes in as a second striker.
Dynamos win over Rhinos took them to 36 points, four points behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum who edged How Mine 2-1 on the same day.
Mutasa's charges have two games in hand, one against CAPS United and the other against Chapungu they are already leading 4-0.
That could push the former champions to the top but Mutasa says they are not concentrating on games they have not played.
"We cannot count chickens before they are hatched. It is a game in hand. We are talking of a CAPS United who have been in the CAF Champions league. We can only cross the bridge when we get there," Mutasa said.
Against Rhinos, DeMbare had to dig deep in what was a thrilling match.
Though Stanford Mutizwa's charges were unlucky to come out with a point, Dynamos will also point at the chances they wasted in the second half
"We thought as much. You look at the areas that they were getting into and the final pass, where someone makes a square pass, you realise we could have done better. We go back to training and keep reminding each other," said the DeMbare coach.
He added that it was a game they were never comfortable.
"Obviously the coach will get worried when you are 1-0 up and you are not safe until the death. We had to work for the three points. I'm saying well done to the youngsters. They showed character and this the team that beat us before," he said.
DeMbare have so far managed to keep a good record at Rufaro.
"Like we have always said, everything we have achieved as an institution, we achieved it in here, so this our home ground and we need to please the authorities that be," he said.
The striker was pulled out of DeMbare's 1-0 win over Black Rhinos in the second half at Rufaro on Saturday.
That injury-inspired substitution forced the former champions to play with a 'false nine' as they had already pulled out another natural striker, Tawanda Macheke minutes earlier.
Emmanuel Mandiranga and Masimba Mambare were now leading the attack for the remainder of the game but Ocean Mushure's first half goal straight from a corner kick had already settled matters.
Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa has indicated they will be in a better picture today when they start training.
"It is only on Monday that we will know the situation," said Mutasa.
However, DeMbare could just receive a boost with the expected return of Denver Mukamba.
"Denver was down with flu and he never had any part for the rest of the week," he said.
The current situation could force Mutasa to play Macheke as the outright striker while Mukamba comes in as a second striker.
Dynamos win over Rhinos took them to 36 points, four points behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum who edged How Mine 2-1 on the same day.
Mutasa's charges have two games in hand, one against CAPS United and the other against Chapungu they are already leading 4-0.
That could push the former champions to the top but Mutasa says they are not concentrating on games they have not played.
"We cannot count chickens before they are hatched. It is a game in hand. We are talking of a CAPS United who have been in the CAF Champions league. We can only cross the bridge when we get there," Mutasa said.
Against Rhinos, DeMbare had to dig deep in what was a thrilling match.
Though Stanford Mutizwa's charges were unlucky to come out with a point, Dynamos will also point at the chances they wasted in the second half
"We thought as much. You look at the areas that they were getting into and the final pass, where someone makes a square pass, you realise we could have done better. We go back to training and keep reminding each other," said the DeMbare coach.
He added that it was a game they were never comfortable.
"Obviously the coach will get worried when you are 1-0 up and you are not safe until the death. We had to work for the three points. I'm saying well done to the youngsters. They showed character and this the team that beat us before," he said.
DeMbare have so far managed to keep a good record at Rufaro.
"Like we have always said, everything we have achieved as an institution, we achieved it in here, so this our home ground and we need to please the authorities that be," he said.
Source - hmetro
