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Langton Nyakwenda
THERE is a joke doing the rounds on the streets of Harare that even Manchester City’s goal-scoring machine, Erling Haaland, might struggle for goals if he was to join Dynamos.
Goals are a rare commodity at DeMbare and this has become a perennial problem at the former league champions.
With a conversion rate of 0,9 goals per match so far this term, DeMbare are once again singing a familiar hymn.
Their top scorer after 16 rounds is winger Emmanuel Paga, who has a paltry three goals and is four behind the league’s leading scorer, Evans Katema, who turns out for Premiership debutants, Bikita Minerals.
Paga was DeMbare’s top scorer last season with 10 goals.
Goalscoring challenges have stalked the Harare giants, especially in the last five or so seasons.
The last Dynamos player to score a hat trick was Takesure Chinyama, when the Glamour Boys hammered Blue Rangers 6-0 at Rufaro Stadium on July 18, 2012.
Post-Chinyama, DeMbare had Roderick Mutuma as the go-to guy when they won their last league title in 2014, but since then, the Mbare side has been struggling for a prolific goalscorer.
Interestingly, several strikers have joined Dynamos on the back of stellar seasons with their previous clubs, but most, if not all, have struggled once they donned the famous blue and white jersey.
Eli Ilunga scored 11 goals for a modest Black Rhinos side in the 2021/2022 season and forced his way onto the Soccer Stars calendar, but the following season, the lights went off after he joined DeMbare.
The Congolese netted less than five goals in 2023 and is yet to open his account this term.
Jayden Bakare scored nine goals for relegated WhaWha in 2022 and attracted the interest of DeMbare, who signed him at the beginning of the 2023 season.
He failed to click and was shipped out at the beginning of the 2024 season.
Nyasha Chintuli blazed the trail for Ngezi Platinum Stars in the first half of the 2021/2022 season before shifting base to Manica Diamonds, where he ended the season with 10 goals.
But when he joined Dynamos, he struggled for goals.
Katema, who was subsequently offloaded last season, is the leading scorer this term with seven goals for Bikita Minerals. It is the same script this season as new signings Sadney Urikhob of Namibia and Alexander Mandinyenya are missing the target.
The 2023 Rookie of the Year winner, Elton Chikona, is failing to replicate last season’s form, which saw him score seven goals.
It is against this background that Dynamos face Green Fuel in their 17th match of the season this afternoon.
The match is at Rufaro Stadium and kickoff is 3pm.
“We are a bit worried about our conversion rate; it’s not healthy to have a topscorer with three goals; it’s not proper for a team like Dynamos,” lamented Dynamos coach Genesis Mangombe.
“But we need to psyche up these boys and train them until we start getting goals.”
Dynamos have one win in eight matches, yet they have lost just once in those matches, drawing six times.
The team have four wins in 16 matches, and those victories have come against promoted sides Chegutu Pirates, TelOne, Bikita Minerals and Arenel Movers.
But Mangombe is convinced his charges will soon get it right.
He believes DeMbare are still championship contenders even though they are 13 points behind log leaders FC Platinum, with the season a game away from the halfway stage.
“It’s a tricky game for us (against Green Fuel); they are a good team; they also have their own way of play,” reckons Mangombe.
“We will do whatever it takes to win this match, so that we revive our chances of competing for the title.
“We are playing very well; we are creating chances; we are one of the teams playing consistently in terms of playing entertaining football and creating chances. But we also need to score.
“So, the whole of this week (last week) we have been concentrating on finishing drills, set pieces, so that at the end of the day, we score goals.”
Dynamos are missing the services of several key players, including the influential duo of Emmanuel Jalai and Donald Mudadi, who are on national duty at the ongoing Cosafa Cup in South Africa.
Tanaka Shandirwa and Shadreck Nyahwa are suspended, while Kevin Moyo is said to be nursing an injury, with Ghanaian import Ansa Botchway out through injury.
“Of course, we are not winning, but if you look into it, we are having draws, otherwise we have been dominating possession and we have only lost once in those eight games. We just have to turn those draws into wins,” said Mangombe.
“The boys are trying their best; they are working hard. We don’t have a full squad, but those who are there, I am confident that they can do the job for us.
“They can even do better because they want to prove they are also good players. They are going to work extra hard. I know it’s going to be a very good game given the way we have been training, and the way these guys have been responding as well. I promise a better result come Sunday (today).”
Green Fuel are without coach Saul Chaminuka, who is with the Warriors in South Africa, with players Tinotenda Meke and Washington Mapuwa on the same assignment.
Green Fuel assistant coach Taurai Mangwiro will be in charge of The Ethanol Boys.
Online Reporter