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Clemence Matawu

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGH-flying Dynamos make their second visit of the season to Bulawayo this weekend to face former champions Chicken Inn in a potentially explosive Castle Lager Premiership encounter.

Dynamos have hit a purple patch, going for seven league games without a loss.

The Harare giants face Chicken Inn, who are also bubbling with confidence despite their six-game winning streak ending in a 0-2 loss to Chapungu at the weekend.

Chicken Inn, who are also within the championship matrix, pose a threat to Dynamos’ fine run.

Last season Chicken Inn beat Dynamos home and away, a feat that coach Rahman Gumbo and his charges will want to repeat.

Chicken Inn clobbered DeMbare 3-0 in the first leg in Bulawayo and won the reverse fixture 3-2 in Harare.

History favours Chicken Inn to win the encounter, having won four out of their 12 league games since their debut season in 2011. Dynamos have won three of those encounters, with five meetings ending in draws.

However, if Dynamos’ recent form is anything to go by, it will be folly of Chicken Inn to ride on history, as the Harare giants look unstoppable.

Dynamos, who are second on the league table with 29 points, two behind leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars, last lost a league game on May 18, when they fell 0-1 to new comers Black Rhinos.

In their last visit to Bulawayo on May 14, Dynamos played 42 minutes of the explosive Castle Lager Premiership flagship clash against traditional rivals Highlanders at Barbourfields before the game was abandoned due to crowd trouble.

An equaliser by Dynamos’ Cameroonian striker Christian Epoupa in the 40th minute sparked the trouble, as Highlanders’ fans threw missiles at second assistant referee Thomas Kusosa protesting the goal.

Epoupa scored from an offside position, but Kusosa did not flag him and instead signalled a goal. The Cameroonian striker’s goal had cancelled a beauty by Highlanders’ Rahman Kutsanzira.

The PSL disciplinary tribunal awarded Dynamos the match on a 3-0 score line and ordered Bosso to pay a $4 000 fine as well as costs of the hearing by July 31, 2017.

Dynamos opened their 2017 account with a 0-1 home loss to FC Platinum, a result which was followed by an away 2-2 draw at Triangle.

They got their first victory on Week Three away at Hwange where they won 1-0, but just as some of the few fans that stuck to coach Lloyd Mutasa and his rebuilding mantra thought the puzzles were finally falling into place, Dynamos suffered a 0-1 home defeat to How Mine before meeting Highlanders.

Cameroonian striker Epoupa, who has five goals to his account, former Soccer Star of the Year Denver Mukamba, defenders Lincoln Zvasiya and Marshal Machazane, have been core figures in Dynamos’ juggernaut.

Chicken Inn will be hoping to bounce back against a Dynamos side that won by the same score line against Bantu Rovers.

Chicken Inn will bank on veteran midfielder Clemence Matawu, utility player Guide Goddard, whose career has been revived by Gumbo, goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, winger Moses Majika, midfielder Chris Samakweri and speedy forward Thomas Kadyaridzira.

They also welcome back striker Daryl Nyandoro who missed the game against Chapungu due to suspension.