Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DYNAMOS lost a domestic knockout tournament match, in regulation time, for the first time in SEVEN years when they were beaten 0-1 by Hwange in the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup at the Colliery on Saturday.
The Glamour Boys, who have transformed themselves into the Cup Kings, had not lost a game, in a knockout tournament, in regulation time, since they lost to Highlanders in the first round of the 2019 Chibuku Super Cup at Rufaro.
Prince Dube scored the only goal of the match.
DeMbare were eliminated by FC Platinum in the same tournament in 2021 and 2022.
They were knocked out in 2021 in extra-time, after the game had ended goalless at the National Sports Stadium, and then lost 2-4 on penalties, to the same opponents, the following year.
The Glamour Boys then won the Chibuku Super Cup for the next three years.
DeMbare have traditionally struggled at the Colliery and they came unstuck again on Saturday.
Dynamos also conceded for the first time since Romanian coach Aristica Cioba took over as their coach.
Hwange coach Njabulo Dube said the victory has opened the door for his men to even dream bigger.
“I’m very happy about progressing. Every coach’s dream, when you are in a knockout competition, is to get to the final,” Dube said.
The Munhumutapa Challenge Cup has provided Dube and his players with an opportunity to test themselves against opposition from a higher level, and eliminating Dynamos has shown that Hwange are capable of competing when the stakes are high.
But Dube is also conscious that the cup cannot be allowed to derail what remains the club’s principal mission.
Hwange are chasing the Southern Region Division One championship and, with promotion ambitions firmly in their sights, the coach now faces the delicate task of keeping his squad focused on the league while allowing them to enjoy their cup adventure.
“We have to manage between winning the Southern Region Division One league and also making further progress in the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup,” Dube said.
That balancing act could prove more difficult as the competition progresses.
“I’m happy for the boys, I’m happy for the community and, above all, I’m very happy for the Southern Region league,” he said.
That sense of responsibility towards the region adds another layer to Hwange’s Cup journey.
They are not simply playing for the excitement of a giant-killing story.
Every round they progress through gives the players greater exposure and strengthens the belief that their ambitions are not misplaced.
Dube’s challenge now is to make sure the emotional high of eliminating Dynamos does not become a distraction.
The coach will need to rotate and manage his squad carefully, keeping his key players fresh for the league while ensuring Hwange remain competitive whenever the cup demands their attention.
“We are happy to have progressed, but we also know what is important to us,” Dube said.
“We want to win the Southern Region league, but at the same time, when you are in a knockout competition, you want to go as far as possible.”
That is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Hwange’s season.
The league provides the long-term measure of their progress, while the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup is offering them a chance to create moments that can live much longer in the club’s history.
