Mutasa shows Denver, Zvasiya the way

By Eddie Chikamhi

Stunned by the omission of Dynamos players from the Warriors provisional squad, DeMbare coach Lloyd Mutasa yesterday revealed he had to sit down with two of his senior players Denver Mukamba and Lincoln Zvasiya for soul-searching.

He said he highlighted to the duo the reality that their careers had taken a knock in the last few years. Zvasiya, who received a late call-up to the Warriors this week, and his close friend Mukamba have faced challenges on and off the pitch in their careers since their return home from unsuccessful stints in South Africa.

Mutasa yesterday said he was pained that there was no DeMbare player in the initial squad and the snub prompted him to engage the duo who had exuded with great potential at the formative stages of their careers.

Mukamba (24) lit the stage when he moved to DeMbare in 2011, winning the Premiership Rookie of the Year and then being voted Soccer Star of the Year the following year at the age of 20.

He has played for the national team before and was at some point captained the senior national team under German coach Klaus-Dieter Pagels before he was snapped up by current South Africa champions Bidvest Wits.

Zvasiya (26) had also shown a lot of potential rising from the junior national sides to earn his stripes with the Warriors and moved to South Africa giants Kaizer Chiefs.

Mutasa believes the duo, who evolved from some of the country’s finest academy structures, should be at the peak of their careers and commanding places in the national team.

“I think if you talk to Lincoln and Denver they will testify that before we played ZPC Kariba I had a chat with the two, they stay in the same room,’’ said Mutasa.

“I told them that previously Lincoln was a national team player and Denver as well was a national team player. “I had to take Lincoln back to 2008 when I went with him to Namibia as an Under-17 and we won gold there.

“And then Denver I had to take him back to 2010 when he was at Kiglon before he made a mark the following year when he played in three age-groups — Under-20, Under-23 and the senior team in one year.

“We talked to each other and I said look guys we don’t have any representative in the national team and when I look at you I see some former national team players.

“But when I look at your ages it’s very worrisome for a team like Dynamos not to have a player in the national team. “You know, it was like a prayer because the game after that we heard Lincoln is in the national team. “I think it’s a plus sign to us as an institution.

“Lincoln was there in the national team around 2014 under Pagels and is making his return, an indication that probably he is coming back into the fold and it’s good for Dynamos.’’

However, Mukamba and Zvasiya have been showing signs of life.

Zvasiya has rarely put a foot wrong in the heart of the Glamour Boys defence since he joined them at the beginning of the season. That strong performance has persuaded Warriors coach Norman Mapeza to consider him after CAPS United’s Dennis Dauda was withdrawn injured.

Mukamba was one of the stand-out players in the last match which DeMbare won 3-1 against ZPC Kariba. After providing the assist for the first goal scored by Emmanuel Mandiranga, he also had his name on the score-sheet for the second of the afternoon.

DeMbare, who have won back-to-back matches for the first time this season, will be on the road this weekend for a date against bottom-of-the-table side Tsholotsho at Dulivhadzimu.

Cameroonian Joel Epoupa Christian and midfielder Masimba Mambare have been ruled out of the match because of injuries. Christian is recovering from shoulder and thigh injuries while Mambare is down with a knee problem.

“Obviously it’s a big blow. Christian had found his feet and we were looking up to him. But such is the nature of the game. So we have to look elsewhere,” said Mutasa.

DeMbare yesterday launched their website and mobile application to enhance their brand and improve connectivity with stakeholders. The Herald