Ndiraya shifts focus to Manica Diamonds clash after loss to Bosso

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League log leaders Dynamos FC’ head coach Tonderai Ndiraya has said they have shifted focus to their next league encounter after falling to a 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals Highlanders in the Uhuru Cup early this week.

DeMbare who were the reigning champions of the Uhuru Cup lost to their traditional rivals Highlanders FC.

The invitational tournament match was played on Monday afternoon at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo.

Bosso narrowly edged DeMbare to lift this year’s Independence Trophy courtesy of a well taken Stanley Ngala’s second half strike.

But despite the defeat which also saw the Harare giants lose the bragging rights as they were playing their all time rivals, Ndiraya highlighted his team is now entirely concentrated on their next league game versus Manica Diamonds.

The Glamour Boys host the Gem Boys at the giant National Sports Stadium in Harare on Sunday afternoon.

He (Ndiraya) said this on Thursday in a pre-match press briefing ahead of their clash with the Mutare based outfit.

“We are preparing very well but I think our preparations are a bit different in terms that we played on Monday and we travelled back Tuesday and we had to start our serious preparations with the team yesterday (Wednesday) and it took one day of our training schedule.

“But we got to see how we manage the situation what is important in the game of football is recovery, so we have got to recover from traveling,” Ndiraya said.

“We are back preparing for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, we are done with the celebrations, we are now fully focused on the league program which is a long and a gruelling one.

“So we need to psychologically talk to our players to shift from a celebratory mood to a serious league campaign mood.

“We are back to serious business that is the league campaign so we are preparing ourselves to face Manica Diamonds.

“We are shifting our focus forgetting about the Highlanders defeat and take encouragement from a point we earned when we played Ngezi Platinum Stars which took us to the top of the table, that is what is motivating us.”

DeMbare goes into weekend’s match having not been beaten in their last six league games they have played.

They won five games on the trot before being held to a goalless draw away at the Baobab Stadium by the Benjani Mwaruwari’s coached side.

They top the log standings with 23 points after 11 games, tied on points with Chicken Inn who are seated second due to their superior goal difference rule.

Meanwhile, Saturday games will mark the return of the CLPSL action after the Easter Holiday break induced by the Premier Soccer League last weekend.

The Saturday games are headlined by a tricky encounter between the reigning champions FC Platinum and Highlanders.

Elsewhere, Chicken Inn will take on the struggling Bulawayo City, Tenax FC are set to host Yadah FC then Harare City square off with Black Rhinos and ZPC Kariba will host Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Then apart from the DeMbare, Manica clash slated for Sunday, there are also other league encounters scheduled to take place in the same afternoon.

CAPS United are set to travel and play Triangle United at Gibbo Stadium, while Bulawayo Chiefs take on WhaWha at Luveve Stadium and Cranborne Bullets will tussle with Herentals at Sakubva Stadium. Nehanda Radio