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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
They may have been on a roll and have destroyed all in their way in the last five Castle Lager Premiership football games.
But giants Dynamos have stubborn records staring at them as they prepare for their trip to Mhondoro-Ngezi where they will be hunting for their first ever league win over hosts Ngezi Platinum Stars at Baobab on Saturday.
Statistics show that DeMbare are yet to score a goal against their hosts at their Baobab fortress since 2016 when Ngezi Platinum Stars stormed into Premiership.
Quite interestingly, the domestic football fans metaphorically held that the Mhondoro-Ngezi side was cloned from the Glamour Boys after they had lured a number of Dynamos players, including current coach Tonderai Ndiraya, in their debut Premiership season. This briefly earned them the moniker “Dynamos-rural” among the domestic football fans.
But Ngezi Platinum Stars have always created anxious moments for the Glamour Boys. They still have a psychological upper hand, having won three, drawing three and losing twice to their more fancied opponents.
Dynamos on the other hand have won two, drawn three and lost three in the eight meetings between the sides.
But it is the visits by DeMbare to Baobab that have produced depressing moments for their fans. More often than not, the Glamour Boys have returned from Mhondoro empty-handed.
Dynamos have managed only two draws and two losses at the platinum miners’ backyard since 2016. From a possible 12 points, they managed to collect two against Ngezi Platinum Stars at Baobab.
They have neither won a game nor managed to breach the Ngezi Platinum Stars defence. The first ever meeting between the two sides at Baobab ended in a goalless draw in August 2016.
The following season Dynamos fell 2-0 and in 2018 they lost 1-0. Ironically, Tonderai Ndiraya was in charge of Ngezi Platinum Stars then, before he reverted to Dynamos.
It was goalless in 2019 and then there was no football the following year after the Covid-19 pandemic caused the abandonment of the competition.
But things are looking up for Dynamos. They have managed to turn around their fortunes following a lukewarm start to the season.
The Glamour Boys have won their last five matches on the trot with all the fixtures taking place at the National Sports Stadium.
And, this will be the first away trip for DeMbare in over a month. Dynamos have had mixed fortunes away after losing to Triangle, drawing with champions FC Platinum and then beating Bulawayo Chiefs in their last match outside Harare.
Not only does Dynamos coach Ndiraya find himself having to breach a long-standing jinx, which his opposite number Benjani Mwaruwari will be looking to defend in his second match as the Ngezi Platinum Stars coach.
A lot of exchanges have taken place between the two dressing rooms over the years with players like Frank Makarati, Godknows Murwira, Trevor Mavhuna and Evans Katema for Dynamos and Denver Mukamba, Valentine Kadonzvo, Marvelous Mukumba and Qadr Amini for Ngezi, having played for both teams.
Ndiraya has always held that Baobab is his second home as he coached the ambitious side between 2016 and 2018.
The team is now under the tutelage of former Zimbabwe captain Mwaruwari, who kicked off his tenure with a 1-1 draw away to Bulawayo Chiefs at the weekend.
The draw helped them maintain their place in a tight top five. The Ngezi Platinum appointment is the first senior club football coaching job for Mwaruwari.
It still remains to be seen whether he will be able to pull the club up after the team had experienced a mixed bag of results since the departure of former coach Rodwell Dhlakama.
Ngezi Platinum Stars currently have 16 points from 10 games. Dynamos on the other hand moved to 22 points following last Sunday’s win over Black Rhinos.
They slashed the gap between them and log leaders Chicken Inn to just one point.
Fixtures
Tomorrow
Harare City Vs Tenax (NSS)
Saturday
Ngezi Platinum v Dynamos (Baobab), Herentals v Triangle (NSS), Black Rhinos v ZPC Kariba (Sakubva), Bulawayo City v FC Platinum (Barbourfields), Hwahwa v Chicken Inn (Ascot)
Sunday
CAPS United v Yadah (NSS), Highlanders v Cranborne Bullets (Barbaourfields), Manica Diamonds v Bulawayo Chiefs (Sakubva)
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