Harare giants Dynamos will be looking to claim their first league win over former champions FC Platinum since 2019 and ruin their chances of winning this current league when the two teams clash at Rufaro Stadium this afternoon.
FC Platinum are the only team with a realistic chance of wrestling the title from pacesetters Simba Bhora with just four games remaining in the season.
Simba Bhora beat CAPS United at Wadzanai Stadium yesterday to stretch their lead over the platinum miners to nine points.
And a loss for FC Platinum against Dynamos will leave Simba Bhora within just a point of lifting the league title.
Matches between the giants of local football have always been fiercely fought, highly tactical and have provided very few goals.
The ties have only provided two goals in the last seven matches dating back to June 2019, when DeMbare claimed a narrow 1-0 over their rivals which would be their last.
Keep Reading
- Mapeza wary of Diamond invasion
- Mapeza discovers another gem
- FC Platinum wary of dangerous WhaWha
- Mapeza salutes WhaWha
A total of five goalless draws have been played when the two team clashed in the past year and it's FC Platinum that have dominated this picture in recent years.
The Norman Mapeza-coached platinum miners will be buoyed by the fact that they won the reverse fixture 1-0 at Mandava Stadium in May.
But FC Platinum are in desperate need of three points to maintain pressure on Simba Bhora who enjoyed a six-point gap going into the weekend matches.
And Dynamos could be the king makers today if they win against FC Platinum Stars.
"We are professionals and we are not going to spoil anyone's party but we also have to party ourselves. We go in as Dynamos and we are a brand that needs to come to the party and these are the games where we should show our quality," declared Dynamos coach Lloyd Chigowe.
"You are very fond of statistics but at the end of the day we have got a good background going into the match. FC Platinum are one of the leading lights in the Premier Soccer League and they are looking for a chance to sniff at the championship and we are also looking to build our confidence going into the Chibuku Super Cup final.
"And the opponents we are going to meet like FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum, Manica Diamonds and ZPC Kariba away will give us good shape going into the final," told journalists last Thursday.
Chigowe will have to do the job without vice captain Emmanuel Jalai and goalkeeper Martin Mapisa, while Nomore Chinyerere is also out due to personal reasons.
Ghanaian midfielder Ansa Botchway could also make a return to action following a long injury lay off while Sadney Urikhob is fit again.
Chigowe is unfazed.
"We have trained well this week, nearly everybody who should be available is available. Probably we will miss Emmanuel Jalai and Martin Mapisa who are regular starters. And also Nomore Chinyerere who is not here for personal reasons otherwise we have got a full strength squad and we are looking forward to the game.
"We are not under any pressure because we know FC Platinum desperately want it. In the last match we did not have Tanaka Shandirwa, Donald Mudadi, Sadney Urikhob and Shadreck Nyahwa which means we have got enough depth to play against any team without all the regulars," he said.
Mapeza is not taking DeMbare for granted ahead of the crucial tie, one of the biggest on the local calendar.
"We are coming from a break I think everybody knows where we are in terms of position and in terms of our objective. We are going to the difficult part of the season especially for us because of our objectives we are going to play a very good side.
"If you look at Dynamos if you look at their history, they are the biggest club in this country. And no matter what their position is on the log standings Dynamos will remain Dynamos. After winning their Chibuku Super Cup semifinal against Manica Diamonds their morale should be very high," Mapeza said.