Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda and Cutworth Masango
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HE is the youngest among Dynamos’ starters yet he has suddenly become one of the most influential players at the Harare giants.
The 22-year-old Anotidaishe Gwatidzo is also enjoying his game in a “new role.”
DeMbare coach, Genesis “Kaka” Mangombe, has converted Gwatidzo from a left back into an attacking central midfielder and the Mbare-bred footballer has been a revelation.
To the uninitiated, this might look like a new role for Gwatidzo, but to those who grew up with Gwatidzo in Mbare know him for always being a central attacking midfielder.
Interestingly, it was Mangombe who turned Gwatidzo into a left-back when they worked together at Yadah Stars.
Mangombe has now decided to restore the settings and the move is paying dividends.
Gwatidzo is now one of the players expected to light up the big Castle Lager Premier Soccer League’s Battle of Zimbabwe showdown against Highlanders at Barbourfields on Sunday.
The encounter comes at a time when just a point separate the two giants of the domestic game with DeMbare edging in front in sixth place on 29 points.
Ahead of the blockbuster, Gwatidzo recalls how Mangombe polished him into a player that he has become.
“When I joined Yadah juniors, Mangombe was the first team coach.
“In one of the training sessions, the team did not have a left-back and I was the only left footer in the juniors’ team.
“I was drafted at left-back and that’s how I started playing in that position, but the reality is I was always a central attacking midfielder,” revealed Gwatidzo.
The energetic star rose to become Yadah’s first choice left-back before he joined Dynamos at the beginning of the 2026 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
The presence of another experienced left back, Abel Gwatidzo, might have forced Mangombe to push Anotidaishe into midfield where the team benefits more from his intelligent reading of the game.
“As a coach you have to assess the potential in players, you can see that this boy can give us value in a different position.
“You can see someone who is tactically sound and understands your system,” explained Mangombe.
“I am the one who groomed him from school and he understands what I want.
“He has the energy and he has the intelligence.
“That’s why he feels at home in that midfield position. The boy has potential and he will do well.”
Gwatidzo could partner skipper Shadreck Nyahwa and the revived Wisdom Mutasa in a three-man midfield for Sunday’s match.
Maybe because he is one of the youngest in the team, Gwatidzo does not want to talk much about the Battle of Zimbabwe.
“All I can say is as a team we are preparing well and we will be ready for it,” said Gwatidzo.
He grew up in Mbare started playing at the age of 11 when he joined Catholic Saints.
Gwatidzo then joined Yadah’s junior team in 2021 before signing for the senior team in 2023.
It’s more than just the points at stake — King Murape
As Gwatidzo and all the newbies at Dynamos look to the second edition of the biggest football fixture on the land, club legend and ex-captain Murape Murape has weighed in on its significance.
He says Sunday’s Battle of Zimbabwe against Highlanders carries weight beyond the league table, calling it a clash of history, pride and culture.
Murape told Zimpapers Sports Hub that the fixture demanded maximum commitment from players and left memories that lasted years.
“Dynamos versus Highlanders was never just another football match. The atmosphere, expectations and emotions were unmatched.
“You could feel the significance long before kick-off,” Murape said.
The former winger, who captained Dynamos in a trailblazing period when they won four straight championships under Kalisto Pasuwa between 2011-2014 said packed stadiums and intense competition brought out the best in players.
“These were the matches every player wanted to be involved in. As players, we understood we were representing generations of supporters who lived and breathed this rivalry,” he said.
Murape admitted the derby carried more pressure than a normal league game.
“Every league game is important, but Dynamos versus Highlanders has a unique level of pressure because of the history.
“Performances in these matches are remembered for years.”
He recalled facing Highlanders players who included Thulani Ncube, Dazzy Kapenya, Gift Lunga Jnr, Honour Gombami, Johannes Ngodzo and Tapiwa Kapini, saying their competitiveness made them tough opponents.
Looking ahead, Murape backed current Dynamos coach Mangombe to handle the occasion and warned against underestimating a Highlanders side showing signs of improvement under Benjani Mwaruwari.
“Highlanders have shown resilience and competitiveness since Benjani came in.
“They have quality players who can rise to the occasion in big fixtures.
“Players must manage emotions, stay focused and perform under intense pressure. Talent alone is not enough,” added Murape. He also urged clubs and former players to educate younger generations on the rivalry’s history.
“Football has become more professional and tactical, but the essence has not changed. It remains Zimbabwe’s biggest football rivalry”.
