Dynamos hail rookie forward Farai Mupasiri
By Augustine Hwata
DYNAMOS’ coaching staff have hailed rookie forward Farai Mupasiri as a player with the potential to scale the heights of greatness, but want him to keep a cool head as he bathes in the spotlight brought about by a flying start to his career.
The 21-year-old gangly forward, who was also a good rugby player he even made it to the national teams, has been a revelation since being promoted into the frontline by coach Callisto Pasuwa.
Mupasiri, who plays either wide or in the centre, has scored four goals in his short spell in the Dynamos first team, something that most of the CAPS United forwards have failed to do since the beginning of the year.
The young forward has scored more goals, in just five games, than the combined tally of Shingi Kawondera, Evans Gwekwerere and Clive Kawinga, who are all yet to open their account this season.
Mupasiri was promoted into the first team at about the same time that Kawondera was cleared to play for CAPS United and, while the DeMbare forward has scored four goals, the veteran striker is yet to get off the mark.
On Sunday, Mupasiri, who only passed a late fitness test to play in the match, made an impact in the game that makes DeMbare heroes by playing well against CAPS United.
He scored the opening goal and troubled the CAPS United defence with his direct runs and, given his positional discipline, kept finding himself in acres of space with noone to immediately close him down.
Dynamos assistant coach Tonderai Ndiraya said Mupasiri had the potential to scale the heights of greatness and could easily become the side’s chief striker if he keeps a cool head. DeMbare have been looking for a reliable supplier of goals since the departure of veteran forward, Takesure Chinyama, for South Africa.
“Farai is still young and he has only started a few games for us,” said Ndiraya. “My hope is that he will continue getting the goals but he needs to keep his head level. I am sure he is proving to be a reliable striker, especially in the last few matches.”
It was a tale of two Farais at the National Sports Stadium with Farai Mupasiri ecstatic after his big role in helping DeMbare win while CAPS United director, Farai Jere, cut a lonely figure during and after the match. Mupasiri will once again come under the spotlight when Dynamos host FC Platinum at Rufaro tomorrow.
The match had been thrown into doubt after DeMbare requested for yet another postponement, saying their coaches were attending a Caf course that opened in the capital yesterday.
But the PSL management committee insisted that the game should go ahead as arrangements have been made for the coaches to be available for the game’s preparations and also to run the show from the bench at Rufaro tomorrow. A win for Dynamos tomorrow could see them closing the gap on Bosso to within three points.
Dynamos are on 37 points while Highlanders are on 43 points. DeMbare are now firmly in the championship race as they took advantage of Bosso’s loss of two points at the weekend and, crucially, they have a home game against the Bulawayo giants at Rufaro.
The Glamour Boys have the psychological advantage after having picked a point from Barbourfields. Although Bosso are unbeaten, their seven draws means they have dropped 14 points, which is just as good as four defeats and a draw in terms of points lost.
Dynamos have lost twice and drawn four times and, like Bosso, they have also dropped 14 points. Bosso found the going tough against a plucky Harare City who held them to goalless draw at Rufaro on Saturday before a good crowd of about 4 000 fans.
Highlanders stretched their unbeaten run to 19 league matches this season but their coach Kelvin “KK” Kaindu was furious over the treatment he received from the Sunshine Boys.
Kaindu alleged that Bosso were not allowed to use Rufaro to train when they arrived in the capital and, when they got to the stadium for the match, they were kept outside for a long time by the Harare City marshals.
“I was not happy by the way we were treated by the home team. Our team was closed out for 20 minutes and they demanded that I produce identification to prove that I am the Highlanders coach. And that was not all, once we got to the dressing room, they came and sprinkled some white stuff and swept the area around.
“I am disappointed with this use of juju and I believe a coach should train his players how to play instead of juju. That is what modern football is all about — training. I do not use juju and God is my witness and despite being psychologically defeated, we played well and managed a draw,” said Kaindu.
Harare City coach Bigboy Mawiwi feels his side should have collected the three points. “I was happy with the performance of my players but I was not happy with the result. Maybe we should have collected three points because we created better chances and I also look at the effort by Silas Solangani that hit the bar.
“But without taking anything from Ariel Sibanda, (Highlanders goalkeeper), we should have got at least a goal. For us we are coming from Division One and it’s encouraging when we improve with each game like this,” said Mawiwi.
Harare City have become a very competitive team, and have a victory over Dynamos under their belt, since Leslie Gwindi came in as chairman. They haven’t lost to any of the Big Three after holding Bosso home and away, holding CAPS United and beating DeMbare.
In the other matches at the weekend, Motor Action beat Hwange 2-1 at Motor Action Sports Club while Blue Rangers defeated Hardbody 3-2. Monomotapa produced the story of the weekend with a sensational 3-0 destruction of FC Platinum at Mandava on Saturday.
So dominant were the Harare side, who are now third on the table and just a point behind Dynamos, they could have won by double the margin.
