Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER weeks of preparations and playing cards close to their chests, reigning Castle Lager Premiership champions Scottland and giants Dynamos will this Sunday give a glimpse of what to expect this season when they clash in the Castle Challenge Cup.
The season opening fixture, which traditionally pits league champions and the winners of the Chibuku Super Cup, will take place at Rufaro as the curtain raiser to the 2026 fixture programme set to unravel the following week.
Organisers yesterday announced that tickets for the Challenge Cup are now selling online, with the cheapest going for $5, VIP $10 and VVIP $20.
The Castle Lager Premiership yesterday urged supporters to purchase their tickets online to avoid the traditional last-minute rush at the stadium gates.
Dynamos are the current holders of the Castle Challenge Cup. They edged Simba Bhora 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out in last year’s final.
The Glamour Boys are likely to field a new-look outfit after losing some of their key players, like captain Emmanuel Jalai who signed for Durban City in South Africa.
They also parted ways with goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa and Ghanaian defender Mohammed Issaka, who are now in the Scottland books.
Midfielder Vusa Ngwenya also walked away, and so did the coach, Kelvin Kaindu, who presided over the last few months of the 2025 campaign.
DeMbare have a number of new faces including midfielder Trevor Mavunga, who is returning to the club on loan from Simba Bhora, ex-Yadah midfielder Prosper Kafelapanjila, striker Elton Njini; and defenders Collin Mujuru and Anotidaishe Gwatidzo.
Former Yadah player Mandla Mlilo, Witness Shave and veteran forward Perfect Chikwende have also been roped in to add weight to DeMbare’s attacking options.
Dynamos also signed two foreign players Stanley Billiat from Malawi and Isaac Lundu. Apart from maintaining pride by retaining the Castle Challenge Cup, Dynamos coach Genesis Mangombe will be hoping to get hints on where his project could be drifting towards this season.
Mangombe was rehired by DeMbare to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Kaindu, who moved to new moneybags Hardrock of Kwekwe.
So far, the DeMbare coach has been able to sample his team in the Jairos Jiri Cup, a charity match which they lost 0-1 to bitter rivals Highlanders two weeks ago.
Unlike Dynamos who lost their key players, Scottland have managed to retain their stars while beefing up with fresh talent drawn from local rivals as well as across the borders.
The Mabvuku side has had a better pre-season compared to the Glamour Boys, who are still trying to shake off a shambolic start to the preparations.
The teams have had different paths during the pre-season. Scottland toured South Africa and Eswatini while the Glamour Boys held a training camp in Hwange.
Scottland spent three weeks in South Africa and also played Eswatini champions Nsingizini Hotspurs in an international friendly in that country, as part of their preparations for the upcoming season.
Despite suffering a 0-2 defeat, the game awarded new coach Norman Mapeza an opportunity to assess his players in a competitive game situation.
And against Nsingizini, Mapeza started three of the new signings — Kenyan defender Joshua Onyango, Kwake Thwala of Eswatini and Ghanaian defender Issaka who turned out for Dynamos in the second half of last season.
Goalkeeper Nelson Chadya, Kingsley Mureremba, Kevin Moyo, Walter Musona, Panashe Mutimbanyoka, Nathan Mutasa, Moses Shidholo and Khama Billiat completed the starting line-up.
Scottland have also signed 2025 Soccer Star of the Year finalists Emmanuel Ziocha from Simba Bhora and Abubakar Moffat from MWOS. They also wooed Namibian forward Isaskar Gurirab from Simba Bhora.
Ahead of the new season, Mapeza is spoilt for choice, with veteran Knowledge Musona, Mafious Chihweta, Peter Muduhwa, Terrence Dzvukamanja, Godknows Murwira, Gareth Madhake, Mthokozisi Msebe and sensation Tadiwa Chakuchichi also retained.
Warriors legend, Peter Ndlovu is now the new team manager, after being lured from South African powerhouses Mamelodi Sundowns.
While Mapeza has won the Castle Challenge before with FC Platinum, Scottland will be looking for their first to add to the milestone of winning the league title in their debut season.
They are set to kick-start their title defence a week after the Castle Challenge Cup when they face Hardrock on March 7.
