Cyclone Jalai in Mutare

 

Ray Bande and Eddie Chikamhi

 

DYNAMOS’ longest serving player and captain, Emmanuel Jalai’s top form in recent weeks is expected to extend into tomorrow’s Castle Lager Premiership encounter against Manica Diamonds at Sakubva Stadium.

Manica Diamonds will clash with Dynamos at Sakubva Stadium tomorrow, in a potentially explosive encounter that is also expected to draw a better crowd, compared to the previous home matches that the Gem Boys played before nearly empty terraces.

The match starts at 3pm.

However, only last weekend, Jalai’s impressive performance sent his club coach, Lloyd “Ma Blanyo’’ Chigowe waxing lyrical following yet another top-drawer performance in Dynamos’ 1-0 win over defending champions, Simba Bhora.

Dynamos, without Jalai, is like a ship without a rudder, according to Chigowe.

The 26-year-old diminutive defender was on top of his game, covering the whole length and breadth of the pitch at Rufaro Stadium, with some pumped up performances.

Jalai has been enjoying a purple patch even for the Warriors where he put in outstanding shifts in the senior national team’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Benin (2-2) in Durban, South Africa and Nigeria’s Super Eagles (1-1) in Uyo.

What has put Jalai’s exceptional displays into perspective is that he is also starring in a Dynamos outfit of upstarts, many of whom are only having their maiden dance with Premiership football.

As DeMbare’s longest-serving player and also club captain, Jalai’s has also taken up the pressure associated with the extra leadership role in his stride.

Chigowe, who brought the defender to Dynamos in 2019, believes the Aces Youth Academy alumni is at the peak of his athletic prowess, and has given his side direction, hence equating him to “ship captain” and “rudder”.

“If you put a ship to sail, do you take out the captain?” quipped Chigowe.

“The team becomes rudderless if you take out the leader of the team. I think Emmanuel Jalai has been a good example, a shining example of efficiency.

“That he has also demonstrated that at the highest level, where only the best can play for the national team, vindicates our faith in him. It is a pleasure to work with him, I have got a lot of pride having brought him to Dynamos,” said Chigowe.

In the Warriors, Jalai was one of the only three local players to have started in the World Cup qualifiers.

Although Scotland forwards, Khama Billiat and Walter Musona also started in the qualifiers, with the later coming off the bench against Benin, and the former (Billiat) being substituted against Nigeria, Jalai played the full games in the two crucial assignments.

With his club coach, Chigowe, purring about his Dynamos showings, which have thrust him as the best right back in the Premiership at the moment, Jalai is also grateful to Zimbabwe gaffer, Michael Nees, for handing him the Warriors start ahead of Scotland’s Godknows Murwira.

“Yeah, I am happy, and I also want to thank the coach (Michael Nees) for giving me the opportunity,” said Jalai.

“But now it is now water under the bridge. The two games are past, now we are focussing on the league.”

Jalai has literally grown from a rookie to the dependable player that he is under the watch of Chigowe and other coaches who came through the Dynamos ranks, including Tonderai Ndiraya, Hebert Maruwa and Genesis Mangombe.

DeMbare have had another typical slow-start of this season.

But to their credit, they have somehow avoided defeat.

And on Sunday, DeMbare chose their clash against reigning champions, Simba Bhora at Rufaro Stadium to remind the rest of the Premiership that they still have a say in the championship matrix, and will not be lambs to the slaughter, only on the basis that they were not big spenders on the transfer market.

Jalai believes the win will inspire his younger teammates to push for better results.

“Confidence-wise it is a booster, because if you look at our squad, it is a squad made of youngsters and a few are senior players. So, we had gone for three games without a victory. Playing for Dynamos, it is all about results.

“I am sure now they have seen the two sides of the club – the poor run of results and also the good side of winning the games. I am sure, and I am happy for them for being strong mentally,” said Jalai.