Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TWICE in the last five seasons, Dynamos have flirted with relegation.
The fading Castle Lager Premier Soccer League giants were almost relegated in 2019, when they finished just four points above the drop zone.
DeMbare had also fought against relegation demons the previous season, as they finished six points above the dreaded chop.
Last season, they finished a distant eighth on the log with 44 points and a massive 20 behind champions Simba Bhora.
Yet they had come close in 2023, when they came third and nine points behind winners Ngezi Platinum Stars.
DeMbare also won the Chibuku Super Cup that season, beating Ngezi in the final at Baobab Stadium in Mhondoro-Ngezi.
In a replica of the 2023 final, Dynamos also faced Ngezi in the 2024 Chibuku Super Cup final and the Harare Glamour Boys atoned for their poor season by winning the knockout competition again, but this time at Rufaro Stadium.
The last five seasons could be described as topsy-turvy for Dynamos, who are crumbling under the weight of emerging football forces in the domestic Premiership.
DeMbare’s start to the 2025 campaign has caused panic amongst their millions of supporters.
They have nine points out of a possible 27, their worst start to a season in seven years.
Dynamos’ woes have been put into perspective by the fact that they have not scored in their last five games.
With one win in nine games, the struggling giants have a paltry 11 percent win rate going into today’s highly anticipated clash against newboys and league moneybags Scottland.
The contrasting fortunes between the two teams is a painful reminder of how much DeMbare have fallen from grace.
Scottland players will roll into Rufaro in their state-of-the art luxury coach, while Dynamos are still using an outdated bus donated by Nyaradzo Funeral Services 12 years ago.
While Scottland are bubbling with multi-sponsorship deals, DeMbare are still clinging on to a shaky partnership with Sakunda Holdings, which now only guarantees salaries for their players.
Conversely, Mabviravira, as Scottland are known by their legion of fans, have multiple lucrative deals, including a US$1,5 million per-season kitty from Sakunda Holdings.
Additionally, Scottland, owned by parliamentarian Pedzai “Scott’’ Sakupwanya, received US$1 million sponsorship from IMC Communications.
Scottland are also bullying their opponents on social media where they have 107 000 followers on their Facebook Page, compared to DeMbare’s 72 000.
DeMbare’s financial struggles have spilt onto the pitch, as expected.
With results not coming, the threat of relegation is becoming real with each passing week and assignment.
Part of the blame has been apportioned to the club’s executive led by Moses Maunganidze.
Others feel coach Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe has no capacity to take Dynamos to the next level.
Maunganidze, speaking exclusively to Zimpapers Sports Hub yesterday, admitted that Dynamos are in a mess.
“Results have not been coming, but we appreciate the hard work and effort from the players and the coaches,” he said. “However, Dynamos doesn’t belong where it is right now. In football, if results do not come, then something has to give in.”
The Dynamos executive will meet early this week to review Chigowe’s performance and future at the beleaguered giants.
“The coach’s future is premised on results and in the circumstances, irrespective of the outcome of Matchday 10 (against Scottland), we will sit down and agree on the way forward in the best interests of the club and its stakeholders,” added Maunganidze.
Zimpapers Sports Hub understands that the club’s executive organised a breakfast meeting with the players two weeks ago, as they tried to shore up morale in the camp.
Club patron Webster Shamu was invited.
However, nothing improved as DeMbare went on to lose 1-0 against MWOS, before drawing 0-0 against an out-of-sorts Kwekwe United and also 0-0 against GreenFuel.
On the contrary, Scottland are slowly awakening from slumber and are now just three points behind pacesetters MWOS.
Mabviravira have four wins, four draws and one loss going into Matchday 10.
Their coach, Tonderai Ndiraya, returns to face his former paymasters, with a luxury of a star-studded squad that includes six players who were on the 2024 Soccer Stars calendar.
Ndiraya has been rotating his squad in recent weeks in a bid to refresh things and promote competition for jerseys.
“That is the advantage that we have, especially during this period when games are coming thick and fast,” said Ndiraya.
He is wary of the threat his parent club could pose, especially at Rufaro, where DeMbare usually command a huge following.
“Dynamos will always be Dynamos, no matter who plays,” said Ndiraya. “I think it’s a team that is driven by its fan base.
“The history that the club has, despite the players they may have at that particular time, the history that is with that team tends to drive the players.
“So, we also expect a good performance from Dynamos. The fact that they went to GreenFuel and came back with a point shows they are not as bad as what people think.
“We expect a very competitive game, given the things that I’ve spoken about. We have to be prepared for that game. It’s going to be a massive encounter.”
Online Reporter