Is this DeMbare’s worst strike force ever?
By Tedious Manyepo and Takudzwa Chitsiga
Dynamos team manager Richard Chihoro has conceded that their recent poor run is unacceptable, with the Glamour Boys’ quest for success being hampered by a toothless strike-force that has misfired all season.
The country’s biggest and most successful football club have been a pale shadow of themselves this season and find themselves 11 points adrift of leaders FC Platinum in a championship race that could see them fail to finish in the top two for the first time in NINE years.
Since winning the league championship in 2007, when they ended a 10-year wait for the title, the Glamour Boys have not finished outside the top two in the championship race.
They finished second in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2015 and won the title in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
But, with FC Platinum and CAPS United setting the pace in the current championship race and Dynamos struggling without a league win in their last six league matches, there are fears that the Harare giants could finish outside the top two.
Lloyd Mutasa’s men have been crippled by a pathetic strike-force and at this late stage of the championship race, Masimba Mambare, who is not an out-and-out striker, leads their goal-scoring charts with only four goals.
Two of those goals came in the last two matches against bottom club Border Strikers and Premiership newboys Bulawayo City.
Roderick Mutuma has been a big disappointment with only two goals, while rookie forward Kudzi Nyakasaka also has two goals to his credit.
The three leading DeMbare goalscorers have scored a combined eight goals, just one more than what Bruce Kangwa scored on his own, and when one considers that the former Highlanders’ forward last played in the domestic Premiership five weeks ago, it puts the Glamour Boys’ shortcomings into focus.
Kangwa is now playing in Tanzania.
Chihoro, who was part of the technical team that won four league titles in five seasons, conceded that the Glamour Boys have not done well this season, but says he is not throwing in the towel yet.
“We need to come back from the dry spell, going for that long period without posting a win is totally unacceptable at Dynamos and we have to win Sunday’s game to show that we are still competitive,” said Chihoro.
“It is quiet unfortunate that the team has not been hitting the back of the net despite playing fantastic football.
“We went for four consecutive matches without scoring and only found the target against Border Strikers when we lost 1-2 and against Bulawayo City last Sunday when we settled for a 1-1 draw.
“I just believe and trust that the goals will come.
“The players have been creating a lot of chances and if we just convert those chances I think we will crawl back into the title race and who knows what will happen come the end of the season.”
He said everyone was available for selection for Sunday’s game save for Sydney Linyama and Elisha Muroiwa who are nursing injuries.
Chihoro also questioned claims that there was a clique of players who were sabotaging coach Lloyd Mutasa.
Mutasa, though, gave credibility to those claims when he wielded the axe on first team regulars Tatenda Mukuruva, Mutuma, Denver Mukamba and captain Stephen Alimenda when the Glamour Boys took on Bulawayo City.
“I only came across the sabotage claims in the newspapers, but I don’t know anything to that effect,” said Chihoro.”
Dynamos take on Moses Chunga’s Harare City on Sunday.
“All games are a must-win and the one against Dynamos is no exception,” said Chunga who made his name at DeMbare.
“We need to win the game to continue climbing up the ladder.”
The coach is spoilt for choice as a number of his senior players, who have been staging a rebellion against the gaffer, have been forced to eat humble pie and are back in training.
The players include Raphael Manuvire, who has apologised to Chunga, with the coach describing his playmaker as the best midfielder in the domestic Premiership.
Chunga, though, said Manuvire has to work hard to show that he is, indeed an exceptional talent. Former captain Themba Ndlovu, Edwin Madhananga and Tendai Samanja are also back in training. The Herald
