Mushure, Manuvire blow for DeMbare

Troubled Harare giants Dynamos are racing against time to have all their players fit ahead of Sunday’s must-win Castle Lager Premiership match against equally-struggling Bulawayo City at Rufaro Stadium.

Midfielder Raphael Manuvire, who missed last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals CAPS United, is still sidelined after pulling a muscle and has not participated in this week’s training sessions.

Winger Valentine Kadonzvo, who has a swollen ankle, and defender Jimmy Tigere, who is struggling with a rib problem, are also doubtful to face Amakhosi this weekend.

Influential skipper Ocean Mushure has not trained with his teammates all week after asking for permission in order to sort out some family problems.

There was some dose of good news for the Glamour Boys though after midfielder Marvelous Mukumba started full training this week.

Mukumba, who joined the Glamour Boys from How Mine at the beginning of the year, is yet to start this season having picked injury during the pre-season.

However, despite the injury worries Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa is putting a brave face and is confident his charges will collect their first set of maximum points this year against Amakhosi.

“The guys are working flat out and everyone is itching for his place in the team. Everyone understands the predicament we are in and they are desperate to move away from it by picking our first win probably on Sunday,” Mutasa said.

DeMbare are yet to win a match this season and go into Sunday’s encounter in 17th place on the log with only three points from seven games.

While DeMbare the executive this week revealed they have slapped the technical team with a three-game ultimatum, Mutasa, however, insists they are yet to be notified of the development.

Instead, Mutasa chose to dwell more on their game against Bulawayo City.

“I’m hearing it from you, I only learnt of it through the grapevine. We had a meeting but we were never told anything of that sort but just like any other institution what maybe is key is to overcoming the rough patch we are currently experiencing,” Mutasa said.

“You hear people talk a lot of things that are there and things that are not there but as a professional coach what you really know is you are just as good as your last game. You talk of a three-game ultimatum, but to us what is key, is our next match.

“We are seized with our next game and not things that have never come to us.”

Mutasa feels their biggest letdown so far has been failure to bury the numerous chances they have created.

“The difference between us and the other teams is that we have never been scoring goals regularly. You can only perform as much as you train and we are hopeful the goals will come because if you look at these youngsters in train, they are getting there,” he said.

“We are very hopeful that we will turn the tide. The belief is there. If the belief was not there probably we wouldn’t have taken this job to coach the team.

“Nothing has changed much from our set targets. We still have a lot of games to play, 27 to be precise which, is 81 points and there is everything to fight for.”

Despite facing an Amakhosi side that is also struggling and in 16th place with four points, Mutasa is expecting a difficult match.

“Obviously we have always said each team we play they give their best and we are preparing for another tough match. We know they are gonna come fighting but we will give our best shot,” he said. Daily News