Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
DYNAMOS may not have Khama Billiat in their ranks, but the Harare giants believe they have found a Billiat of their own.
Malawian winger Stanley Billiat, made an immediate impression on his Dynamos debut last weekend, tormenting defenders with his pace and direct running as DeMbare beat TelOne 2-1 at Ascot, and the 23-year-old now finds himself walking straight into the furnace of a Dynamos and Highlanders showdown at Rufaro on Sunday.
The surname instantly rings bells for Zimbabwean football followers, who watched Khama Billiat rise from the dusty fields of Mufakose to become one of the region’s most celebrated attacking players, but the young Malawian says he is not here to live in another man’s shadow.
“To be honest, everything has been amazing since I came here to Zimbabwe,” Billiat said.
“Everything is going well since we started the season and I think everyone is ready for the match against Highlanders.”
Billiat arrived in Harare with a strong reputation after a successful spell with Malawian giants Nyasa Big Bullets, where he won four league titles and became known as a fearless winger, who relishes taking on defenders.
He made 74 appearances for the Bullets and scored 13 goals during a period in which the Blantyre side dominated the Malawian league under Zimbabwean coach, Kalisto Pasuwa.
It was Pasuwa who alerted Dynamos to the winger, earlier this year.
Dynamos coach Genesis Mangombe says the recommendation has already proved its worth.
“Billiat was highly recommended by Mana and what the respected gaffer told us about the boy is exactly what we are seeing every day at training,” Mangombe said.
“He is a very good winger. He has speed, he is comfortable on the ball and his technical ability is very good.”
Mangombe believes Billiat’s upbringing at a demanding club like Bullets has helped him adapt quickly to life at Dynamos, where supporters expect performances every week and patience is usually in short supply.
“His background makes him an ideal Dynamos player,” Mangombe said.
“He understands the pressure that comes with playing for a big club and he has quickly adjusted to what Dynamos expects from its players. He is doing very well and he gives us another dimension in attack because competition for places is now very strong.”
Dynamos already have several attacking options including Leeroy Mavhunga, Witness Shave and Ghanaian forward Frank Agmeyang, but Billiat’s pace and willingness to run at defenders could quickly make him one of the players fans look to when the giants clash at Rufaro.
DeMbare head into the derby buoyed by their victory over TelOne, their first opening day win since 2023, a result that has lifted spirits in the blue half of Harare ahead of Sunday’s showdown.
Highlanders arrive in the capital after drawing 1-1 with Bulawayo Chiefs at Barbourfields and will be equally eager to stamp their authority in the season’s first instalment of Zimbabwe’s fiercest football rivalry.
Bosso edged Dynamos 1-0 the last time the two sides met in the Jairos Jiri Cup in Bulawayo last month.
On Sunday afternoon, the Rufaro crowd will get its first real look at Dynamos’ newest winger, and DeMbare supporters will be hoping their own Billiat is ready for the moment when Zimbabwe’s biggest derby finally comes to life.
