Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IN an exciting turn of events, Dynamos, the Castle Lager Premiership football giants who “struggled” during the off-season, relying on trials for recruitment while other teams actively conducted business on the market, are now among the leading pack.
The Blue Army have sent shockwaves through the local football community, with many hailing them as a remarkably colourful tale in the making. Despite it being early in the season, a section of enthusiasts has also labelled the giants as a dark horse of sorts.
Yet just weeks ago, some pundits had written them off even before the Match-day One action had begun, suggesting that the Dynamos would continue with their relegation struggles.
The pessimism was based on the fact that Dynamos had, in 2024 and 2025, been financially crippled, with the club forced to rely on free agents as they could not compete for players on the market.
Although they had some struggles during their pre-season this year, Dynamos moved to turn the cor-ner.
Resultantly, the results have been coming and returning coach Genesis Mangombe and his men currently sit second with 14 points and one behind early pacesetters CAPS United.
DeMbare are also unbeaten having won four and drawn two of their opening 2026 assignments. After getting a windfall from top betting company AfricaBet and ContiPay, many believe that the finan-cial backing could be the major driving force behind the team’s performance.
Yet captain Shadreck Nyahwa also reveals a fascinating dressing room story.
Nyahwa is one of a few survivors from the last two seasons. “Of late, we are always happy and excited because money is coming so our bonuses are often paid up while welfare is being fairly taken care of,” Nyahwa said.
“However, the major driving force in the team is the unity within the dressing room . . . as a team there comes a time when you have to stand together or have a bond to achieve.” Nyahwa also pointed to strong dressing room unity for his team’s resurgence.
Inside the dressing room, the focus is on strong collective spirit and shared goals.
With a new executive committee in place, fresh funding, and a reshaped squad, significant changes have been made at DeMbare.
The recent developments have created a more motivated and cohesive team.
Nyahwa said the improved performance comes from dedication and solidarity of the team, while the monetary incentives come as icing on the cake. “Our team has youngsters who want to play and prove their worth, while we also have seniors who have the premiership experience and want to be competitive,” he said.
“This is the environment that any captain would want to work in; it makes your job easy because everyone is always self-motivated.
“Last year we survived relegation on the last day, and we do not wish to go through that again this year; hence, we are putting in all the hard work from the onset, we are happy that results are coming.” Technically, Dynamos also appear to have gained some stability anchored on the much-needed depth. Mangombe has blended youth and experience bringing on board some veterans who include Moses Demera, Perfect Chikwende, Trevor Mavhunga, Mandlenkosi Mlilo, Collins Mujuru and Harmony Nare.
DeMbare also brought in former Nyasa Bullets and Malawi national team forward Stanely Billiat who has been doing good business together with Ghanaian defender Christopher Nettey. Having overcome their off-field problems, and securing financial muscle, Dynamos could have created a conducive platform for Mangombe to deliver.
