BRING ON DEMBARE!

Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S biggest football institution, Dynamos — measured by the sheer size of its support base — will march into Mutare on Sunday at a time when no Castle Lager Premiership side would relish facing a resurgent Manica Diamonds.
The match starts at 3pm, and gates will be opened at 12pm.
Manica Diamonds might have had a slow start to the 2026 season, but for now the Gem Boys have gone for a five-match unbeaten run since their fall to Ngezi Platinum.
After the Ngezi Platinum defeat, Manica Diamonds FC settled for a goalless stalemate against Agama FC, and went on to settle for another draw, one-all against Hunters FC.
Manica Diamonds showed their determination to remain part of the elite league when they surprisingly overpowered TelOne in a 1-2 triumph away match at Ascot Stadium in Gweru.

The Patrick Mandizha-coached outfit held Highlanders to a goalless stalemate at Sakubva Stadium in a match they will look back and regret failing to collect maximum points that were at their disposal after failing to convert clear-cut scoring chances.
The Evans Kamombo-bankrolled team had another fine outing away from home when they held unpredictable Bulawayo Chiefs to a goalless stalemate in Bulawayo in a rearranged midweek fixture played on Monday.
But on Sunday, Dynamos being Dynamos, Mandizha knows and understands that it is a different ball game altogether.
Mandizha said: “We give due respect to Dynamos FC in the same manner as we do to Highlanders FC.
Their history in both league and cup competitions speak volume about their achievements.
“Whenever we play against Dynamos FC, I am reminded of yester-year greats like Moses ‘Bambo’ Chunga and Vitalis ‘Digital’ Takawira. Those were great dribblers and goal scorers. Unfortunately, the current generation did not get to watch them at the peak of their careers.”
Such is the respect that the former Shabanie Mine player has for Dynamos.
But respect and fear are two different things. Mandizha said: “Bringing Ngezi Platinum’s unbeaten run to a halt is a big confidence booster for Dynamos FC. We respect them, but we do not fear them.
“Our technical team is working on rectifying all the mistakes encountered in the previous matches, and we are strategising for the upcoming fixtures with caution and zeal to collect points.”

Mandizha urged fans to throng the ceremonial home of football in Manicaland to play the usual vital 12th man role.
“We are calling upon all Manica Diamonds supporters to come to Sakubva Stadium in their numbers and rally behind their team. A match against Dynamos we all know goes beyond DeMbare as a team. Every football loving person should come and enjoy the match,” said the soft-spoken Mandizha.
Reflecting on the match against Bulawayo Chiefs on Monday, Mandizha, once again, bemoaned his team’s lack of the cutting edge in front of goal.
“We deserved a better result than a draw considering the number of clear-cut chances that we created. Our biggest undoing has been the lack of clinical finishing in front of goal.
“Defensively, we were solid at back and restricted Bulawayo Chiefs from any meaningful goal attempts. The combination of Ask Rupande and Russel ‘Rojo’ Kahiki in midfield is paying dividends, both defensively and offensively.
Charles Teguru was named man-of-the-match. He is the third Manica Diamonds player to receive this award successively.
Liberty Masveure and Ask Rupande were awarded against TelOne FC and Highlanders FC respectively,” he said.