Bulawayo giants Highlanders will be looking for nothing short of victory when they make the long trip to Harare to face their biggest rivals Dynamos tomorrow
In recent months, hosts Dynamos have been a pale shadow of the side that looked indomitable at the beginning of the year and are now desperate to cling on to second place with three matches remaining in the season.
And the manner in which they surrendered the league title to FC Platinum last week reflected a team that is low in confidence having won just two of their last five matches, managing one draw and two defeats in the process.
The Harare giants are currently joint second with 2015 champions Chicken Inn who also have a tricky home encounter against Caps United in Bulawayo today.
Amid the woes, DeMbare opted to activate a media blackout ahead of matches and yet their fortunes have not changed a bit with coach Tonderai Ndiraya under pressure to keep his job for next season.
Highlanders, on the other hand, have collected more points than every other team except champions FC Platinum in the second half of the season.
Coach Baltemar Brito has issued a warning to Dynamos ahead of the biggest fixture on the Premier Soccer League calendar.
“We have watched some Dynamos’ games and everyone knows that Dynamos are a good team. They are a team with a victory DNA with mature players but it’s not like they are an unbeatable side; so we go there with our strength, confidence and we go there aiming for victory,” he said.
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“We have told the players not to be under pressure and not to be captured by the emotions of the fans. Dynamos need to worry about us because in the second half of the season, only one team (FC Platinum) has collected more points than us. They might be strong but we also are,” Brito added.
Even without four key players, Ariel Sibanda, Nqobizitha Masuku, Devine Mhindirira and Mbongeni Ndlovu, Brito is hoping that his side will have the edge over Dynamos as they target a top-four finish at the end of the season.
Bosso has been by far the most supported side in terms of numbers and they are hoping that the 12th man will show up to support the team in Harare.
Brito urged the fans to come in their numbers and also to shun violence which always rears its ugly head when the two teams meet.
“It is important to feel the support of the fans during the game and that support should not only be when we are winning but even during the hard times and usually that is what our supporters do.
“They are demanding people, they expect too much but they come in huge numbers to support the team. Most importantly what the fans must do is to go and support and push the team forward on the field of play and they must respect because this is not war; it should be a day for the family and a day of football,” the Portuguese national said.
Head to head statistics show that Dynamos have not beaten Highlanders in this fixture since 2017 and have since then, lost four games and drawn twice.
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