Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DYNAMOS coach Genesis Mangombe believes the current generation of the Glamour Boys have a big opportunity to etch their names in the club’s history if they emerge victorious in today’s high-profile Castle Lager Premier Soccer League derby showdown against CAPS United.
The iconic Rufaro will be the theatre at which the battle for the capital’s bragging rights will be fought.
For DeMbare, the first instalment of the 2026 Premiership editions against archrivals Makepekepe is not like any other showdown involving the blue and green halves of the capital.
While their duels are always charged, with more than just three points at stake, this latest clash means even more, not for Dynamos only, but for the Green Machine as well.
This is the first time in more than eight years that the giants are meeting after at least 10 matchdays into the season, with both sitting pretty amongst the leading pack.
CAPS United have led the standings since Matchday One and enjoy a five-point cushion ahead of the Glamour Boys.
That gap will be reduced to just two if DeMbare win.
For Dynamos, there is also another carrot dangling for them apart from just the three points and bragging rights. There is a luxury US$200 000 bus to be secured, following a pledge by businessman Wicknell Chivayo to Dynamos.
Chivayo promised that he will buy the bus for Dynamos if they beat Makepekepe today.
That will mean in just a single game, Dynamos can have a bus that the team has failed to buy on their own in the last two decades.
The process to lay their hands on that bus is easy and yet tricky, in equal measure. Every single player, save for their Cameroonian goalkeeper Finia Nfor, who is still regaining full fitness, and the suspended Tellmore Pio, is available for Mangombe’s selection.
“I think we have done all we can to prepare the boys for this fixture against CAPS United,” said Mangombe.
“There is no motivation needed, especially for the players, going into the Harare Derby. That feeling already kicks in something special in the players. You could see at training throughout the week that the Harare Derby is far much different from any other fixture. The zeal and the enthusiasm have been at another level. It’s all been positive.
“I am confident that we will do well against CAPS United as there is also extra motivation around the bus pledge.”
While the vibe surrounding the Harare Derby has been positive given the two giants are performing well in the league, most of the players from either side will be making their bow in this storied fixture.
Mangombe is not too much worried about that as he has in his ranks the likes of Trevor Mavhunga, Tatenda Makoni, captain Shadreck Nyahwa, Abel Gwatidzo, Wisdom Mtasa and Jairos Kasondo, who have experienced it before.
“Some of the guys we have, they’ve been playing in big teams in their league from their countries,” he said. “But you know, it’s different when playing in Zimbabwe, but also the crowd, they are not afraid of the crowd.
“I have been trying them here and there, but they are responding very well. I don’t have any fear in them playing versus CAPS United at Rufaro Stadium.
“Already there’s motivation when playing these derbies, but you know the team with a better character at the end of the day is the one which is going to win, so we need to be up there in terms of concentration.
“We need to be high up there and we also have to make sure that we don’t make unnecessary mistakes and try to avoid those silly goals we’ve been conceding of late.”
Versatile captain Nyahwa, equally at home in defence as he is in midfield, is also relishing this afternoon’s clash.
“It’s very important for us as a team to win against CAPS United,” he said. “Beyond the competition itself, we know there is motivation and support behind us, including the possibility of getting the bus from Sir Wicknell.
“As the captain, my main focus is encouraging the team to stay united, disciplined and give everything on the pitch. A good result would mean a lot for the players, the supporters and the club as a whole.
“The names of the current players will never be forgotten if we win this match and get a bus for the team.”
The match will likely be a clash of philosophies between attack-minded coaches, with Mangombe almost always a disciple of the traditional 4-4-2 structure against CAPS United’s Takesure Chiragwi, who prefers the 3-5-2.
The significance of this encounter is not lost on Chiragwi either.
“CAPS United and Dynamos is the biggest derby and it needs those with character on the day to deliver,” said Chiragwi, who has previously featured in this fixture as a CAPS United defender.
“I hope it will be CAPS United to have that character on Sunday (today). We have done our thorough preparations. We are confident that we will get a positive result.”
On paper, CAPS United look superior given they have colossal stars like midfielder Richard Hachiro and striker Ishmael Wadi, who have had an on-off relationship with the Warriors.
But Dynamos are not short on those to match them.
The last time DeMbare faced Scottland, whose engine room is operated by the combative Abubakar Moffat, Mangombe deployed Wisdom Mutasa to jam him up and the midfielder did the job with distinction.
It will be interesting to see whether Mutasa will be able to cut off supply from Hachiro the way he did with Moffat.
It is also the first time that Dynamos defender Hastings Chapusha will face his former team CAPS United since leaving the Green Machine last year.
Chapusha, who has struck a chord with Collin Mujuru in central defence, is widely expected to thwart Makepekepe’s Chawanangwa Kaonga and Wadi.
On their end, Dynamos will be hoping to see Kasondo and Frank Agyemang getting the better of Kudzai Chigwida and Nyasha Gurende, to aid them up as they chase down what will be a historic victory for them.
The significance of this encounter is not lost on CAPS United coach Chiragwi either.
