Battle Royale: Zimbabwe’s oldest clubs Dynamos, Highlanders clash

Zimbabwe’s oldest clubs Dynamos and Highlanders, both riddled with problems, clash in a potentially explosive Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match on Sunday at the Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo.
Interestingly, both coaches are under fire with fans calling for their heads and desperately need a win to silence their vocal fans.
Dynamos’ Tonderayi Ndiraya is in a better position, though, as they lead the Zimbabwe PSL table after 14 rounds. They have collected 30 points. The fans’ gripe was the 1-1 draw against Bulawayo City at home. City are at the bottom of the log table with only one win, which came over Highlanders.
Highlanders’ Mandla Mpofu has only managed two wins in the last ten games. Overall, the Bulawayo giants have picked three wins in 14 games and are seated in position 11, three points away from the drop zone and 14 points behind bitter rivals Dynamos.
Nonetheless, Highlanders management still believes they are not yet out of the race and can still turn things around. Those utterances have agitated fans who feel it’s a mockery for Highlanders to give them such hopeless hope.
“We got 20 games to play, remember? At one time, Manchester City led Liverpool by 14 points, but what’s happening now? They are taking the title race to the wire; I think what we need is a quick turnaround,” Mpofu said.
When asked about the calls by fans for him to be sacked, Mpofu said he is not focused on that. Instead, he feels the media is fuelling calls for him to get fired.
“You guys are experts in your field; I am an expert in coaching. You’ve got the power of the pen. Unfortunately, I don’t have it; that’s the naked truth,” added Mpofu.
By Buhle Ncube