Andrew
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
THE last time they enjoyed the services of a West African was in 2017 when Cameroonian striker, Christian Ntouba Epoupa, harassed local defenders and ended up among the Premiership’s 11 best players.
Epoupa scored 12 goals for Dynamos, who narrowly lost the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title to FC Platinum.
The 28-year-old forceful striker, whose bustling nature earned him the nickname “Nyakanyaka”, is now plying his trade in Libya, where he is turning out for lower league side, Rafic Sorman SC.
He is still blazing the trail, like he did in Harare with 16 goals in 12 matches for the Libyan side.
And back in Harare, DeMbare have rekindled their love for West African players.
The Harare giants are now home to five West Africans.
Ghanaian striker Emmanuel Zengayire Paga, who scored his debut Premiership goal last weekend, is one of the players from the Western part of the continent whom Dynamos believe can add the missing touch in their bid to revive their fortunes and win the league title for the first time since 2014.
The 22-year-old had impressed for Ghanaian side, Vision FC, before packing his bags for Harare.
According to Footballghana.com, Paga is being tipped back home to flourish at Dynamos. He has settled at DeMbare quicker compared to the other latest arrivals, Alex Orotomal of Nigeria and Martin Ofori, also from Ghana.
The gangly Orotomal, who started when Dynamos beat Bulawayo Chiefs 2-0 at Barbourfields Stadium last weekend, is however, out of today’s clash against Tenax at the National Sports Stadium.
Dynamos’ flirtation with West African talent dates back to the 1990s when Ghanaian forward George Owusu entered the club’s history books by scoring in the 1998 CAF Champions League final.
Owusu and Makwinji Soma-Phiri were on target when DeMbare lost 2-4 on aggregate against ASEC Mimosas, albeit in controversial fashion.
And now, Dynamos have five West Africans, including Albert Eonde (Cameroon) and another Ghanaian Sylvester Appiah, who were already at the Glamour Boys.
Dynamos assistant coach, Gift “Umbro” Muzadzi, who played alongside Owusu in the 1998 Champions League campaign, believes the current group of West Africans at DeMbare has the potential to catapult the club into real league title contenders.
“It has been long since Dynamos won the championship so we are doing everything to make sure that we challenge for honours.
“That is why we have recruited these guys from West Africa. They are going to help us a lot, but we will be patient with them,” said Muzadzi.
Dynamos last won the league title in 2014, the last of a record four-season dominance of the top-flight that would in turn launch the mastermind of that run – coach Kalisto Pasuwa’s legendary status at the club.
Since Pasuwa’s departure, Dynamos have watched from the sidelines as Chicken Inn (2015), CAPS United a year later and FC Platinum from 2017 to date, took turns to parade their gold medals on the championship podium. However, the landscape has changed especially after the coming in of Sakunda Holdings, whose million-dollar sponsorship of both Dynamos and Highlanders has sent the league abuzz.
There have been some exciting developments at DeMbare whose chief sponsors Sakunda Holdings were last week granted a long lease for Rufaro and immediately announced plans to give the iconic stadium a major facelift.
Dynamos have never made a secret of their affinity for Rufaro, scene of many of their memorable victories in both domestic and continental competitions including the famous 1-0 triumph over Egyptian giants Zamalek in 2008.
The facility is now derelict and has not been used for years and news that it will now be given a Sakunda facelift has been greeted with excitement by the club’s fans, players, coaches and administrators.
For now, they have to be content with sharing the National Sports with arch-rivals CAPS United.
And the National Sports is the venue where DeMbare’s latest West African acquisitions could finally explode and give the success-starved fans something to cheer about.
“They (West African players) are coping and they have settled well. Of the three new arrivals, I think Paga has settled in very quickly,” Muzadzi said.
“Appiah and Eonde are helping them to settle quickly but Paga has done really well.
“His debut goal against Chiefs was good for him and for the team. It is a morale booster so to say, in terms of gaining confidence.
“As for Alex (Orotomal) and Martin (Ofori), they are coming up, the potential is there.
“They can add something to the team. We are taking it step by step before we throw in all of them.
“Every coach looks for good players so I think they are going to give us something and add that West African flavour to the team,” Muzadzi said.
The 28-year-old Orotomal comes in with continental football experience, having played for Rwandan side, AS Kigali in the 2021 CAF Confederation Cup.
“Alex is coming up, he had some moments in Bulawayo last week. Unfortunately, he is out of tomorrow’s (today) match,” added Muzadzi.
Dynamos have 10 points from six matches and bounced back to winning ways against Chiefs at Barbourfields last weekend.
Muzadzi also revealed how the West Africans value the Zimbabwean league.
“We have realised that our league is not one of the worst on the continent. These guys value the competition and quality of our league.
“You could see that the West Africans were struggling in the initial stages, not because they are bad but because of the competition.
“It’s not easy for someone to just come in and walk into a local team and settle. But Paga is almost there, he is giving us a lot of options especially upfront’’.
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