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Lloyd of the wins

Sport
Eight weeks ago, Dynamos were the laughing stock of Zimbabwean football, languishing closer to Border Strikers at the bottom of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

Eight weeks ago, Dynamos were the laughing stock of Zimbabwean football, languishing closer to Border Strikers at the bottom of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

Dynamos head coach Lloyd Mutasa
Dynamos head coach Lloyd Mutasa

Even new boys Mutare City Rovers for some weeks sat above them and while relegation was always unthinkable, any title hopes or thoughts had diminished.

Talk of a remarkable turnaround of the fortunes, then the Dynamos story is as good as any so far.

After a suicidal experiment with Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva, Dynamos title bid got off to one of their worst starts in recent seasons of the topflight league.

Dynamos failed to either win or at least score at Rufaro Stadium, a place where they call home and for so long their slaughter house, in their first four home matches.

They only tasted success there in week nine with a 2-0 win over Ngezi Platinum, while they lost to Caps United, Highlanders and FC Platinum and shared points with Triangle.

DeMbare’s form was met with astonishment by loyal fans and amusement by its rivals as the Glamour Boys struggled to fight their way into the top half of the table.

Until Saturday, when they beat Harare City 2-0, the former champions had not won against a team at the top half of the table and they had failed to make it into the top half of the table since the season kicked off.

For a team that had won four successive championships before finishing second last season, it was incredible how they could have fared as badly as they did.

But poor form does end at some stage – and on Saturday, Dynamos now under the guidance of Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa, who took over from Silva, bounced back into the championship matrix with a deserved 2-0 win against Moses Chunga’s Harare City – the second successive victory at home and the third straight win for the first time this season.

The win lifted them to fifth position on the league table with 17 points, nine adrift of log leaders Highlanders.

And to win against a team like Harare City, is a huge statement of the Glamour Boys’ revival considering that they had not won against a team that is in the top half of the table so far this season, to move them four places up the ladder.

While their back-to-back wins against Chapungu and Ngezi were significant, the win on Saturday represents a big step in their bid to mount a serious challenge on the championship.

They have enjoyed a good run of form where they have won four of their last five matches and it is only Highlanders who have picked up 13 points in the last five matches, while DeMbare collected 12.

With their next assignment coming up against Bulawayo City, Dynamos need another victory which could shape the rest of their campaign. But any stumble from here will be a major reversal in a riveting contest that includes eternal rivals Caps United, FC Platinum, ZPC Kariba and Highlanders.

Sunday Chidzambwa’s ZPC Kariba are also hanging up there with a good chance of lifting the crown for the first time since their promotion into the topflight.

FC Platinum too have a realistic chance of landing the crown after finishing third last term.

Norman Mapeza’s men have played a game less than Caps, who are on second with 23 points and Highlanders with 26.

It is shaping to be another unpredictable run, but one thing for sure, Dynamos are back in it and doesn’t it just spice it up?