Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda-Zimpapers Sports Hub
FAITH has carried Issaka Mohamed across borders and into the heart of Harare’s football storm. The 30-year-old Ghanaian centre-back, who quietly arrived at Dynamos in the off-season, has turned into a rock in defence and an emblem of calm belief for a club clawing its way out of danger.
“I am enjoying the peace in Harare,” Mohamed says with a measured smile. “By God’s grace everything has been smooth since I joined. Dynamos is a big family, amazing and I already feel at home.”
Peace, though, was in short supply at Rufaro on Sunday as they battled for three points against bitter rivals CAPS United.
But Dynamos still delivered.
Since July 27, when they were humbled 3-0 by Chicken Inn, Dynamos have clawed their way back with remarkable grit.
Five wins and a draw have yielded 16 points from a possible 18, a run that has steadied them under Zambian coach Kelvin “KK” Kaindu.
They beat MWOS, Kwekwe United, GreenFuel and Scottland before a goalless stalemate with Triangle United.
That was before the derby 1-0 win when Jairos Kasondo scored the all-important goal.
“When I was still in Ghana I knew about CAPS United. “They are a big team,” he spoke before the game. “At Dynamos we play for a victory at whatever cost. I am focused and hopeful in the name of Allah.”
He has reason to trust that faith. Dynamos have not conceded in their last three outings at Rufaro, and Mohamed has been at the heart of both clean sheets. Drafted in when Clive Mandivei was suspended against Triangle United, he seized the chance, forging an assured partnership with Tendai Magwaza. Their blend of timing and toughness has stiffened a back line that wobbled earlier in the season.
While much of the spotlight lingers on mercurial forward Denver Mukamba, whose flair and late goals keep crowds on their feet, Mohamed embodies a quieter influence. Steely and steady, he thrives on the unseen work that wins titles and rescues seasons.
His path to Harare began with a trophy. Last year Mohamed helped Ghanaian side Nsoatreman lift the Ghana Cup and tasted CAF Confederation Cup football. But long before he packed his bags, he already knew the name Dynamos.
“We heard good things about Dynamos because a lot of Ghanaians have played in Zimbabwe and we know how big Dynamos are,” he says.
Among those trailblazers were Sylvester Apiah, Emmanuel Paga and Martin Ofori. Their stories reached Mohamed and planted a seed.
Research turned into resolve. “I also knew before I came that Dynamos have a lot of fans who support this team with a passion,” he explains. “My aim is to make sure that I help this club survive relegation.”
That mission binds him to captain Emmanuel Jalai, a fellow Muslim who has become more than a teammate. The two men share prayers and quiet moments that balance the roar of match days. “It helps to have a brother who understands,” Mohamed notes.
If he sounds unflappable, it is because belief steadies him. “I think all is well here and by God’s grace everything has been smooth,” he repeats. His words are simple, but the conviction behind them is hard to miss.
The Ghanaian centre back has slotted into life in Harare with the ease of someone who was meant to be here. From the bustling markets to the training ground, he has found the welcome warm. “Dynamos is a big family, amazing,” he says again, and it rings as more than courtesy. It is the sound of a player whose faith and football have found common ground.
Mohamed’s journey is still in its early Zimbabwean chapters, but his impact is already evident.
He has brought calm to a once shaky back line, belief to a dressing room short on confidence, and a sense of destiny to a club desperate for stability. He does not speak of grand ambitions, only of survival and the next match. Yet those who watch him can sense the larger promise.
In the face of yesterday’s derby, the story of Issaka Mohamed stood out as more than a football tale. It was that of faith carried across borders, about a defender who trusts that the same hand that guided him from Nsoatreman to Dynamos would steady him in the furnace at Rufaro.
That faith carried him and his teammates through.
