Former Dynamos captain Ocean Mushure has tipped the Harare giants to progress to the next stage of the Caf Confederation Cup ahead of preliminary round opponents Zesco of Zambia.
The two teams will meet in the preliminary round of the continent’s second tier club football competition, with Dynamos hosting the first leg slated for August 17 before travelling to Lusaka for the return leg seven days later.
DeMbare will play their home match in South Africa because Zimbabwe does not have a Caf-certified stadium to host international matches.
Speaking to NewsDay Sport, Mushure, who is back in the country after spending five years in Zambia, believes Dynamos will easily beat Zesco United.
The veteran left-back last played for Kabwe Warriors in the Zambia Premier Soccer League last season, helping the side to a fourth position finish on the log standings.
He said Dynamos hold an advantage going into the two matches.
“The two teams are almost at par in terms of the quality in their squads, but I would say the preliminary games have come at a right time for Dynamos,” Mushure said.
“Dynamos are in the middle of the season and their players are obviously match fit. The Zambian league is in an off-season and teams have just begun their pre-season.
“The league is starting mid-August and that means Zesco will need some time to get their players up to speed. Dynamos will need to take advantage of that.”
Mushure also noted that the former Zambian league champions were hit by a massive player exodus at the end of last season and are in the process of rebuilding their squad.
Yadah’s new recruit, defender Adrian Chama who joined the Miracle Boys last week, is one of the players who left Zesco.
“A number of senior players have left the club. I’m not sure of the reasons, but it appears they are starting afresh. If you compare that with Dynamos which has been together for some time now, then I feel that they have a good chance of winning.”
Mushure, however, reckons that playing the home match away from home will have a huge impact on Dynamos’ chances.
The Harare giants will play their home match at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
“Of course, it will have an impact. But Dynamos have fans everywhere and I know there a number of their supporters in Johannesburg and I’m sure they will come all out to support the team, but it’s not the same when they play at Rufaro Stadium,” reckons Mushure who traversed the length and breadth of Africa playing in the Caf Champions League with Dynamos.
Dynamos are returning to continental club football for the first time in a decade.
Mushure was part of the Dynamos squad that last played in Africa.
If they progress past Zesco United, Dynamos will face either Foresters FC of Seychelles or Orapa United of Botswana in the first qualifying round, with the winner progressing to the group stages.
Club coach Genesis Mangombe is also fancying his squad’s chances of going through.
“It’s not a very difficult draw,” Mangombe said when the draw was made.
“We just have to put our house in order and be better organised in terms of our preparations.”
“If we are stable and everything is moving smoothly, there is nothing that can stop us from beating that team [Zesco]. They are very beatable, but it depends on us. Their main advantage over us is that they are more organised and well funded.
“And when you play a team like that, it’s very difficult when on your side you are not doing the basics correctly. With the players we have, we stand a good chance of winning and progress to the next stage.
“We have the quality and experience to match Zesco, so I don’t think it will be a difficult task for us. The teams we are facing in the next round are also beatable so we have a good chance of making it to the group stages.”
Mangombe is looking to bolster his squad for the African Safari and has already submitted his wishlist to the club’s management.
Mushure is one of the players that Mangombe is looking to add to his squad.
He has been training with the team in the past few days, impressing the technical team in the process.
Mangombe, who is also eyeing two strikers from West Africa, confirmed that he would want to rope in Mushure to rejoin the club he left in 2019.
Newsday
