“Crisis, what crisis?” asks Dynamos chairman Farai Munetsi after the team’s third consecutive loss in all competitions.
After an embarrassing defeat against Kiglon, which was hugely regarded as a minor blip for the pre-season favourites, and a 3 – 0 hammering away to MC Algiers in the Caf Orange Champions League, the fixture against the league champions Motor Action was viewed as the ideal opportunity for Dynamos to turn their season around.
Instead it merely served to emphasise just how deep-rooted the malaise is at the club.
The defeat exposed the brittle confidence within the youthful team and the alarming depths to which DeMbare have fallen.
The usually reliable combination of Archford Gutu, Denver Mukamba, Devon Chafa and Tawanda Muparati failed to click, while the lone striker Patrick Kumbula looked out of sorts against a determined Mighty Bulls.
With zero points to show for their efforts so far, and lying oddly third from the bottom, their title challenge looks bleak.
The last time Dynamos had such a disastrous start to the season in the last decade was back in 2003 when they lost their first two matches to Black Rhinos and Caps United before picking up a single point against eventual league winners AmaZulu in the third match.
In that season, the Harare giants however finished the season in third position, three points behind Usuthu and Highlanders.
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Had they not had three points deducted for using Edmore Mufema while a dispute over the striker’s ownership was still before the appeals court, Dynamos could have won the league that season.
Only that record could be giving some relief to the increasingly worried Dynamos family.
However, Dynamos chairman Farai Munetsi is still convinced that there is no crisis at his club, declaring his rocking boat will find calm waters soon.
“There is absolutely no reason for the team to press the panic button at the moment,” declared Munetsi.
“We have lost important games, yes, but we cannot call that a crisis, the team is just off-form. I believe we have depth in the team and we will regain our usual form.
“Remember when we played against Kiglon, our first team players were with the national team in Mali and when they came back they went straight to Algeria so there was not enough time to prepare for matches.
“The MC Algiers loss demoralised the boys very much and it is clear they have not recovered from that defeat, but we still have depth in the team,” added Munetsi.
The defeat to Motor Action may also prove a tipping point for coach Lloyd Mutasa, even if it is logical that he be given a chance to prove himself.
The two forthcoming games against FC Platinum tomorrow and Gunners in the Independence Cup on Saturday could prove to be decisive for the former Kiglon gaffer.
“We are 100% behind the coaching department, we still believe in him (Mutasa). He needs all our support at the moment and we are doing everything possible so that we can get good results in the coming match,” assured Munetsi.
As the crisis deepens at Dynamos, rivals Caps United kept their 100% start to the season with an efficient display against a dogged Shabanie Mine side.
Unstoppable striker Simba Sithole banged his fifth goal of the season and is a sure bet to get the top goalscorer of the month award while other goals from Norest Makwezvaramba, Evans Gwekwerere and Steven Alimenda completed the four-goal haul.
The Moses Chunga-coached side has notched up an astonishing 14 goals from three games and are on top of the log with nine points.
It also seems Chunga finally read the riot act to his defenders, who for the first time this season managed to keep a clean sheet.
