Dynamos: We are not tourists
Zimbabwe champions Dynamos FC arrive today ahead of a two-legged international match against Nyasa Big Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Saturday and Lilongwe’s Civo Stadium on Sunday.
The outfit’s 36-member delegation has 26 players,10 technical officials and Portugal’s 2006 World Cup goalkeeper Paulo Jorge da Silva dos Santos as head coach.
Dynamos team manager Richard Munetsi Chihoro said they are ready for the showdown and that Nigerian trialist Duru Ikenna Mercy, who is under the wings of local soccer agent Felix Ngamanya Sapao and former Nigerian international Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, is also expected to fly into the country to join the Zimbabwe outfit.
“We are not coming to Malawi as tourists, but a strong squad that is determined to save our good reputation,” he said.
Bullets is expected to unveil new head coach Franco Ndawa, two midfielders and three defenders.
It is also expected that new signings—ex-Civo United defenders Emmanuel Zoya and John Lanjesi—are some of the players to be featured.
Bullets vice-general secretary Kelvin Moyo said the matches are also meant to help spread messages against smuggling cigarettes from Mozambique and Zambia which affects their sponsors, Nyasa Manufacturing Company.
“At least 10 soccer fans that will report to police smuggled goods on the market will have free access to the VIP at the two matches. We urge fans to support Nyasa in its business if the five-year marriage is to be sustained,” he said.
Bullets will spend at least K10 million to host the visitors in terms of accommodation and transport expenses.
The money, according to Moyo, is not part of Nyasa Manufacturing Company’s K100 million.
NMC managing director Dimitri Kalaitzis hailed Bullets for coming up with the competition.
“Their use of separate money for the event that includes us shows that we are really working as partners. We are happy that the competition will benefit both the club and the company,” he said.
