Sports / Soccer
Dembare face Sundowns
03 Feb 2013 at 06:25hrs | Views
DYNAMOS' Caf Champions League preparedness comes under the spotlight today in the afternoon when they square up against South African football giants Mamelodi Sundowns at Gwanzura Stadium.
The road has been rocky, to say the least.
Denver Mukamba, Rodreck Mutuma and Simba Sithole are gone. There has been no training in Kariba as planned and striker Francesco Zvikumbawire has not been paid for to start his tenure at the league champions.
The league champions have played three preparatory matches so far ahead of their Champions League preliminary home clash against Lesotho's Correctional Service in two weeks' time.
They beat Division One side Mushowani Stars 4-1 before playing a goalless draw against Premiership newcomers Tripple B last Sunday.
On Thursday, Dynamos overcame fellow Premiership side Black Mambas 3-1 at Morris Depot, but all these teams have not been typical African Safari opposition, honestly speaking.
The biggest crisis at Dynamos currently is the lack of quality players to stand the African heat.
From the 25 players that Dynamos had initially registered for the competition, four have already left.
Aaron Katebe, who was their top target, joined FC Platinum while Martin Vengesai, who was at the club last season, is training with Harare City.
Zvikumbawire from Hwange has not joined the rest of the squad as Dynamos are yet to pay the transfer fee, leaving Farai Mupasiri and newboy Boban Ziruntusa as the main men upfront.
20-year-old Ziruntusa, voted the club's Rookie of the Year last season, has been complaining of a back injury, leaving coach Kalisto Pasuwa with no options but to play veteran Murape Murape as the main striker.
To rely on Murape and Mupasiri to deliver in Africa would be asking for too much from the two players. No doubt Mupasiri is a hugely talented young player, but he is still green and needs more time to learn before he can be thrown into the deep end while Murape's good days are behind him.
In trying to solve the striker crisis, Pasuwa has recalled Patrick Khumbula who the club had loaned out last season. He has also signed little known striker Allen Chavarwisa who has been released by Hwange.
The two, alongside former Gunners defender Byron Madzokere, who has had trials with Orlando Pirates and Chippa United, were on Thursday registered by Dynamos in the Champions League squad.
Pasuwa had wanted to recall Evans Gwekwerere and the player had responded positively, but the club board of directors threw spanners into the works. He has gone back to try his luck again in Botswana.
Former winger Benjamin Marere has publicly stated that he wants to rejoin the club, but the all-powerful board is also standing on his way.
The Sundowns match is probably the last competitive match Dynamos will play before they engage Lesotho Correctional Services and it's likely that Pasuwa would field his best squad for the match.
The road has been rocky, to say the least.
Denver Mukamba, Rodreck Mutuma and Simba Sithole are gone. There has been no training in Kariba as planned and striker Francesco Zvikumbawire has not been paid for to start his tenure at the league champions.
The league champions have played three preparatory matches so far ahead of their Champions League preliminary home clash against Lesotho's Correctional Service in two weeks' time.
They beat Division One side Mushowani Stars 4-1 before playing a goalless draw against Premiership newcomers Tripple B last Sunday.
On Thursday, Dynamos overcame fellow Premiership side Black Mambas 3-1 at Morris Depot, but all these teams have not been typical African Safari opposition, honestly speaking.
The biggest crisis at Dynamos currently is the lack of quality players to stand the African heat.
From the 25 players that Dynamos had initially registered for the competition, four have already left.
Zvikumbawire from Hwange has not joined the rest of the squad as Dynamos are yet to pay the transfer fee, leaving Farai Mupasiri and newboy Boban Ziruntusa as the main men upfront.
20-year-old Ziruntusa, voted the club's Rookie of the Year last season, has been complaining of a back injury, leaving coach Kalisto Pasuwa with no options but to play veteran Murape Murape as the main striker.
To rely on Murape and Mupasiri to deliver in Africa would be asking for too much from the two players. No doubt Mupasiri is a hugely talented young player, but he is still green and needs more time to learn before he can be thrown into the deep end while Murape's good days are behind him.
In trying to solve the striker crisis, Pasuwa has recalled Patrick Khumbula who the club had loaned out last season. He has also signed little known striker Allen Chavarwisa who has been released by Hwange.
The two, alongside former Gunners defender Byron Madzokere, who has had trials with Orlando Pirates and Chippa United, were on Thursday registered by Dynamos in the Champions League squad.
Pasuwa had wanted to recall Evans Gwekwerere and the player had responded positively, but the club board of directors threw spanners into the works. He has gone back to try his luck again in Botswana.
Former winger Benjamin Marere has publicly stated that he wants to rejoin the club, but the all-powerful board is also standing on his way.
The Sundowns match is probably the last competitive match Dynamos will play before they engage Lesotho Correctional Services and it's likely that Pasuwa would field his best squad for the match.
Source - newsday
