Online Reporter
Howard Musonza
Head Zimpapers Sports Hub
STILL, Mutasa refuses to be swept up by title talk.
“I’m not looking at that yet,” he said. “We’re still aiming for survival. If we hit the 40-point mark, then maybe we can talk about something bigger. But for now, it’s one game at a time.”
They were written off after one bad afternoon in Mhondoro. Some said the bubble had burst. But on Sunday, MWOS responded the only way champions, or would-be champions, should. By winning.
A composed, disciplined performance at Barbourfields saw the PSL newcomers edge Highlanders 1-0 and complete a stunning season double over the Bulawayo giants, a result that fired them back to the top of the table and reignited belief in their Cinderella run.
Just last week, their 16-match unbeaten streak had been shattered by a ruthless Ngezi Platinum Stars at Baobab. They lost their grip on top spot and, with it, a little aura. But this was the perfect reply.
Coach Lloyd Mutasa, ever the steady hand, didn’t let the occasion get to him but couldn’t hide his pride.
“The boys persevered from the onset to the end,” he said. “There’s belief in that dressing room. Coming from last week’s disappointment and putting in a performance like this? It lifts everyone.”
Baobab is where it started, the very ground where MWOS stunned Highlanders in their debut top-flight match earlier this year. With Ngoni Stadium still under renovation then, they had adopted Baobab as a temporary home and made a huge first impression.
But last weekend, that same ground saw them taste defeat for the first time as they completed half their Premier League journey with nine wins and seven draws. The fairy tale had hit a bump.
And yet, instead of crumbling, MWOS picked themselves up and walked into Barbourfields with ice in their veins.
“Playing Highlanders is never easy and we were very fortunate,” said Mutasa. “Coach Try and his team played well, they created chances but couldn’t bury them. Fortunately for us, we buried one of ours. It was a very tricky, tough encounter.”
Barbourfields can rattle even seasoned teams, let alone a rookie side. But MWOS have now beaten Highlanders home and away, both in difficult, high-pressure settings.
“We said we shouldn’t give them much room,” said Mutasa. “If they have the ball and the crowd behind them, you know how Barbourfields is. But we stayed compact. Whatever they were doing was in front of us.”
Highlanders had the ball. They had the chances. But they didn’t have the killer touch. MWOS stayed patient, and in the 87th minute, pounced.
“Honestly, if we’d gotten a point here, I wouldn’t have been disappointed,” Mutasa admitted. “But like any coach or player, you always first look for a win. And when the chance came, we took it.”
The win not only puts MWOS back on top of the Premier League but also sends a warning to the rest of the pack, this side may be new, but they’re not here to play tourist.
Mutasa knows the pressure only gets heavier from here.
“It’s a very big challenge. Every team wants to dethrone you from the top,” he said. “But we knew that when we came into this league. Whether it’s Highlanders, Simba, FC Platinum, Dynamos, or CAPS, they’re all tough. But to us, every game is a tough game, even Kwekwe or Triangle. We treat them the same.”
Resilience has been their calling card.
One defeat didn’t send them spiralling. Instead, it sharpened them.
“Sometimes a defeat wakes you up,” Mutasa said. “We weren’t ourselves that day. But it’s part of football, you get beaten, then you respond. And I think today, we did.”
With 16 matches still to play, Simba Bhora, Scottland, Ngezi and FC Platinum are all breathing down their necks. But MWOS are showing they’re not just here to survive.
They don’t necessarily dazzle with possession or dominate the stat sheets, but they know how to win. They grind. They believe.
A few more wins, and even Mutasa might allow himself to whisper the word “title.”
But for now, the message is clear. Top of the log.
Wins over Dynamos, CAPS United and now a double over Highlanders.
Still punching above their weight.
And they’re not going anywhere.
