Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda-Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOR six years, Dynamos left back Abel Gwatidzo never set foot in Rufaro or any other Premier Soccer League stadium.
Yet it was at Rufaro, the ceremonial home of local football, where Gwatidzo scored a wonder goal last Saturday, in what was a fateful weekend for the Dynamos son.
It was also at Rufaro where Gwatidzo got his first taste of Premiership football when he came on as a second-half substitute, replacing veteran Murape Murape, as Dynamos walloped Monomotapa 3-0 on May 5, 2013.
Gwatidzo had been registered as one of the five junior players in 2012 but had to wait until May 2013 to make his PSL debut.
“Rufaro is a stadium that evokes some good memories for me, so when I scored that goal against Ngezi Platinum Stars, the feeling was special,” Gwatidzo told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
The 31-year-old roving left back scored the equaliser as DeMbare came back from behind to win 2-1 against Madamburo, who had never tasted defeat before last Saturday.
Gwatidzo was duly named man-of-the-match and that award inspired the Mufakose-bred player.
He now wants to put in more as he believes Dynamos have a fair chance of winning the league title.
With that victory against Ngezi Platinum Stars, DeMbare moved to within four points of log leaders Hardrock.
Dynamos will play resurgent Manica Diamonds at Sakubva on Sunday, hoping to build on that crucial win over Ngezi.
Suddenly, Gwatidzo has regained his appetite for Premiership football, yet there was a period when he quit the game for six years. After winning three league championships with Dynamos in 2012, 2013 and 2014, Gwatidzo quit professional football in 2015 after he was frustrated at the Harare giants.
“Things were tough, Kalisto Pasuwa had left at the end of 2014, and there were new coaches at the club.
“You know when coaches change, a lot of things also change.
“So I was frustrated, in fact, I was mad, and I didn’t want to hear anything about Premiership football,” revealed Gwatidzo.
He quit and ended up working at Dairibord, where he also played for their social team.
Between 2016 and 2023 Gwatidzo never watched PSL games, even after some serious persuasions from his childhood friend and former Dynamos teammate Blessing “Bisto” Moyo. However, fate had other ideas.
Sometime in 2023, Dairibord played against Golden Eagles who were then coached by former Warriors striker Gilbert Muzhangazhike. The football legend was impressed with Gwatidzo and persuaded him to join his side.
“Golden Eagles gave me an opportunity to play for them and, at the same time, retain my employment with Dairibord.
“It was a good deal,” said Gwatidzo.
He played for the Eagles until 2025, when he was invited to Dynamos by then-assistant coach Mark Mathe.
“Mathe had also coached me at Golden Eagles, so when he was appointed assistant coach to Lloyd Chigowe at DeMbare, he invited me.
“I came back, impressed, and signed a two-year contract.”
And as they say, the rest is history.
Gwatidzo has gone on to re-establish himself as a key player at Dynamos, a team that raised him.
“It’s good to be doing well at DeMbare, a team that I joined as a 10-year-old.
“It was also because of this club that I got a scholarship at Churchill High School.
“So I owe this club and I want to serve it,” declared Gwatidzo.
He believes he can still play for the national team, despite being on the wrong side of 30.
“I will keep pushing.
“Wearing the national team jersey is an honour.
“I also believe DeMbare have a big chance of winning the league title, we are not that far away. We just need to keep winning our games.
“We beat Ngezi, a team that had gone for 14 games unbeaten, that shows you we are onto something,” said Gwatidzo.
While a lot of things changed for Gwatidzo, especially in his football journey, one thing has remained constant.
His bond with Simba Bhora captain Moyo.
“Bisto is like a blood brother to me, and that will never change.
“He knows me in and out, we grew up together, he was my best friend, up to today we are brothers.”
SA clubs after Magwaza
Meanwhile, several South African Betway Premiership football clubs have enquired about Gwatidzo’s Dynamos defensive partner — centre-back Tendaishe Magwaza, with PSL scouts casting an eye over one of Zimbabwe’s most in-form defenders.
The 24-year-old centre-back has also been in impressive form for the Harare giants, and his performances have not gone unnoticed.
A source with knowledge of the matter told Soccer Laduma that Magwaza’s consistent displays have attracted attention from a number of top-flight clubs in South Africa.
“There are a few clubs that have shown interest in him from the South African Premier League. He has been doing very well for his club, and there have been scouts from different clubs in South Africa who have enquired about him after monitoring his progress at Dynamos,” the source revealed.
Soccer Laduma subsequently contacted Magwaza’s agent, Gilbert Sengwe, who confirmed the news as true, adding that clubs have indeed registered their interest in the defender. Sengwe, however, was not prepared to name the clubs at this stage.
“I can’t divulge the clubs since it’s too early, and I also don’t want to jeopardise the process,” Sengwe told Soccer Laduma.
Widely regarded as Zimbabwe’s best centre-back at present, Magwaza further demonstrated his quality at the weekend when Dynamos defeated Ngezi Platinum 2-1 at Rufaro, handing them their first loss at the venue. With Gwatidzo setting the tone for DeMbare’s win, Magwaza chipped in another commanding display from the heart of the Glamour Boys’ defensive shield.
