IN the wake of a sobering 5-0 defeat at the hands of league champions Scottland FC in the Castle Challenge Cup, Dynamos head coach Genesis Mangombe has urged the DeMbare faithful not to lose heart.
Despite the chastening nature of the scoreline at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday, Mangombe insists his rebuilding project is on the right track.
While the scoreboard painted a bleak picture, Mangombe is focused on the long-term potential of his new-look squad, highlighting flashes of technical quality and the promise of foreign signings yet to join the team. The defeat, he insists, is a learning opportunity rather than a setback.
The Glamour Boys, Zimbabwe’s most decorated club, found themselves at the receiving end of a clinical performance by Norman Mapeza’s star-studded side.
While Scottland, led by the Musona brothers and Khama Billiat, stole the headlines, Mangombe walked away from the wreckage, focusing on the foundation he is trying to build.
While the scoreboard suggested a total collapse, the match featured periods where Dynamos looked capable of competing. New signing Witness Shave was unlucky not to find the net after rattling the crossbar with a stinging volley, and Elton Njini saw a potential goal ruled out for offside.
Creative spark Leeroy Mavunga and captain Shadreck Nyahwa also showed glimpses of the technical quality Mangombe wants to instill in this new-look side.
"We are Dynamos. I think we will take some lessons from this defeat and rectify the mistakes we made ahead of the new season," Mangombe said after the final whistle.
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"I see a lot of potential in this team. One of today's biggest challenges is that we still haven't registered our foreign-based players. Once they are registered, we are going to have many options in different positions."
The defeat comes at a sensitive time for the club. DeMbare enters the 2026 season without a major anchor sponsor, forcing the technical team to navigate a quiet preseason focused on free agents and youth prospects. In an era where big money is increasingly defining success in the local Premiership, Dynamos are taking a more measured, developmental route.
Mangombe, who took over the reins from Kelvin Kaindu, has been busy integrating new faces. Recent additions include Congolese youth international Isaac Landu, Malawian winger Stanley Billiat, and former Herentals defender Collin Mujuru—though the latter’s debut ended in disappointment after a late red card.
The core of the squad remains anchored by experienced heads like Tendaiishe Magwaza, Tellmore Pio, Wisdom Mutasa and Clive Mandivei, who will be tasked with mentoring the younger arrivals.
There is little time for soul-searching as the Premier Soccer League kicks off this weekend.
Dynamos must quickly put their house in order before a tricky away fixture against TelOne FC at Ascot Stadium in Gweru.
The US$20 000 runners-up prize from the Challenge Cup will provide some minor relief, but the real currency for the Glamour Boys will be points on the board.
If Mangombe can successfully integrate his unregistered foreign contingent and tighten a defence that looked porous under Scottland’s pressure, the potential he sees might soon translate into the results the DeMbare fans crave.
For now, the message from the dugout is clear: the journey has just begun, and one heavy defeat does not define the season ahead.
