Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT didn’t need a rocket scientist, but just Scottland.
Dynamos’ humiliating defeat to the league champions in the Castle Challenge Cup at Rufaro on Sunday was a huge wake up call to fix the ship, and coach Genesis Mangombe agrees.
The 5-0 mauling in front of a near capacity crowd ranks among the three worst moments for DeMbare in the last two decades.
Attacking midfielder Emmanuel Ziocha, Khama Billiat, Tymon Machope and siblings Knowledge and Walter Musona caused the damage with a goal each for Scottland, who made a complete mockery of the giants.
Not since 2012 when they suffered a 0-6 defeat to Esperance of Tunisia in the CAF Champions League qualification match, have DeMbare been this fragile.
The previous time Dynamos had exhibited such frailty was in 2005 when they were drubbed 0-5 by Motor Action at Rufaro.
The plot unravelled again on Sunday as DeMbare were exposed for their weaknesses and lack of investment in the pre-season after meeting a side so efficient in approach and with a sound preparation.
DeMbare coach Mangombe was also stunned by the magnitude of the defeat and swore it will not recur, especially in the upcoming season.
“To the Dynamos family, yes, I am very sorry for the loss. It was a very big margin and we don’t expect something like that to happen to this big team. But it’s a game of football,” Mangombe said.
DeMbare will travel to Gweru for a date with TelOne this Saturday.
“We have to dust up and move on and try to work on our game, try to turn the negatives to positives and start collecting maximum points starting with our game versus TelOne.
“I know the boys will rise and they don’t want to make their fans lack the confidence in them. I am also confident,” he said.
Dynamos, who survived relegation on the last day of the campaign last season, need to quickly turnaround their fortunes to avoid another agonising marathon.
Mangombe was rehired specifically for that and has been busy rebuilding the side after DeMbare lost some of their key players during the off-season break.
They have a number of new faces and six of them started in Sunday’s game. These included midfielder Trevor Mavunga, who returned to the club on loan from Simba Bhora, ex-Yadah duo of Anotidaishe Gwatidzo and Mandlenkosi Mlilo, former CAPS United goalkeeper Harmony Nare, talented winger Witness Shave and striker Elton Njini, who had a goal controversially disallowed for offside.
The other new signings Moses Demera, Collin Mujuru and Perfect Chikwende played second half cameos while midfielder Prosper Kafelapanjila was an unused substitute.
While the Dynamos team did not look as terrible as the result suggested, Mangombe believes the slow start in their pre-season was a huge factor, as the gulf in terms of conditioning between their players and Scottland was evident.
“Yeah, I think it was a very, very difficult game for us,” said Mangombe.
“Given the way we started the game, it was quite much okay until up to 15 – 16 minutes when the opponents dictated the game, keeping possession and trying to penetrate our defence.
“I think we lacked some fitness, which I think was mainly because of the time we had together and also the time we did pre-season.
“We didn’t have enough time to do proper pre-season training. Then also, of course, in those minutes we got some moments and also good things which were coming up, which I think if we can build from them, we can make a very good team which can compete.”
Dynamos will play TelOne, Highlanders, Bulawayo Chiefs, Agama and MWOS in their first five league assignments.
And, following the brutal exposure of their infirmities by Scottland, Mangombe and his technical team will need to go back to the drawing board this week.
“It is a wake-up call and this will also try to make us strong for the next fixtures and harden our mindset for the league because if we play well this game and the next game we don’t play well, it means we will be lacking consistency.
“So, we have a lot of things to do, which I think we need to address as quickly as possible so that when we play our next league game, we will be better than the opponents and compete also for better things,” said Mangombe.
They also hope their foreign signings like Stanley Billiat from Malawi and Congolese defender Isaac Landu would have received their reverse clearances for the league matches.
“I don’t know the main issue with registration, but they were not cleared. Maybe this week if we have their licences, we will have a wider selection for the next fixtures.
“If those guys are there, I know we will be better because there are some critical positions where I thought we needed them on Sunday. Our bench was very thin,” said Mangombe.
