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Champions League misfits and were randomly bullied at home, with a hearty performance that restored faith among those who had started to doubt Lloyd Mutasa and his Class of 2011.
After a horrible April, in which the Glamour Boys were humbled on the continent and repeatedly beaten at home, DeMbare opened a new month with a show that opened a new window of hope for the millions of their fans tormented by the turmoil of the previous month.
A 5-1 demolition of a Masvingo United team, which arrived at Rufaro undefeated in five league matches since the season opened, did not only bring three points on the table but repaired some of the damage inflicted by the horror that unfolded in April.
Midfielder Archford “Uche” Gutu was the star of the DeMbare show, with a solid performance described by his club’s fans as a class act, as the Glamour Boys turned on the style to destroy Masvingo United and leave coach Luke Masomere shell-shocked.
A bullish Gutu said on his Facebook page yesterday that Dynamos had turned the corner and declared: “The sky is the limit.”
On Good Friday, a section of the Dynamos fans turned on Mutasa, after a goalless home draw against Hwange, as the bond built between the coach and the fans in pre-season, and cemented by that destruction of MC Alger, cracked under the weight of growing frustration as the team struggled on the field.
That rebellion showed that some of the fans, who had embraced Mutasa as the Messiah who would bring the best out of the Glamour Boys, had lost their patience and it wasn’t being helped by the team’s lack of potency as the goals, which flowed freely in pre-season and against MC Alger, suddenly dried up.
One win, two defeats and two draws in five Premiership matches, and only two goals to their credit, clearly wasn’t the kind of scorecard that could provide hope for the future and, as Dynamos staggered in the darkness, some cracked under pressure and targeted Mutasa.
With the club’s leadership battling to settle a pay crisis, which saw them fail to pay players their March salaries, and their star midfielders Gutu and Denver Mukamba hitting the headlines for their lack of discipline, the Glamour Boys’ boat was clearly sailing in stormy waters.
And when players appeared for an official club function, in Harare’s First Street Mall last week in their clothes rather than the club’s colours, and reports emerged that they camped at a sub-standard lodge in Bulawayo, it became increasingly clear that this was a club badly in need of something to cheer its spirits.
On Monday at Rufaro, Dynamos found a way back into the light with a performance rich in artistry and, crucially, pregnant with goals it helped the players exorcise the psychological demons that had been tormenting them throughout April and might boost their confidence levels ahead of future battles.
Mutasa spent a month, looking for the spark that had fired his side into an attacking force in pre-season, but which was cruelly extinguished when the Glamour Boys were hammered, in controversial circumstances, in Algiers as they crashed out of the Champions League in the first round.
The burden, which came with becoming the first Dynamos team to be knocked out in the first round of the tournament since 1981, coupled with the psychological battering they suffered at the hands of an Egyptian referee who played for the opponents in Algiers, all proved too much for Mutasa’s men.
And, as they limped from one poor result to another, they began to lose their way and Highlanders came to Harare and won for the first time against Dynamos in four years after beating their rivals in the Independence Trophy final at the National Sports Stadium.
The fans lost their patience.
Mutasa kept his faith in his men and, for a man with such a huge responsibility, he didn’t panic and kept insisting that they were just one good result away from regaining their confidence and bouncing back to winning ways.
A goalless draw against Highlanders at Barbourfields appears to have done the trick and on Monday Dynamos turned on the style to whip Masvingo United in a contest which, for long periods, appeared to give an indication that the visitors were still trapped in their Division One world where they played last year.
Such was Dynamos’ dominance, with their midfield in full flow and leftback Augustine Mbara having a dream game wide on the wing, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if they had scored double the five goals that were credited to them in this match.
Rodreck Mutuma even broke his Premiership duck with a double strike, and went on to miss a number of easy opportunities, David Kutyauripo converted a penalty, Mukamba fired low and hard from distance and substitute Martin Vengesayi, playing against his former team, scored the fifth goal on the stroke of full-time.
Nicholas Alifandika was lively but he missed some chances, and so did Gutu who broke clear on two occasions but could not make the most of his opportunities, in a man-of-the-match performance in which his strong midfield show gave Dynamos the creative hub they needed to dominate this match.
Make no mistake about it, this wasn’t a weak Masvingo United.
Once they emerged from the confusion created by the Dynamos’ artistry, with Gutu playing a big role, they showed us in 15 minutes of the second half why they had been unbeaten so far and why they went to Barbourfields, without training all week, and emerged with a point against Bosso.

Yesterday Gutu said his team could afford to dream for a successful season on the domestic front.
It triggered a wave of responses from the Dynamos fans, still celebrating a vintage performance by their side, who saluted their midfield star.
His teammate Guthrie Zhokinyi, who missed the match through injury, said Gutu was in irresistible form.
“Uche, Uche on fire,” said Zhokinyi.
“Good game, you reminded me of (Justice) Majabvi. Keep it up,” wrote Farell Mark Chiyangwa.
Imran Jawad had some advice for Gutu as his fame skyrockets.
“My young brother, if you maintain a level head, the sky is the limit. You are a star. I am proud of you,” he wrote.
“Keep your feet on the ground, keep listening to your coaches, respect your fans, avoid bad advice and bad habits of life.
“You are destined for great heights. You are one of the reasons we sacrifice the little we have to enter the stadiums. You are an entertainer. (The) performance reflected a true Dynamos. Thanks, that was entertainment.”
Martin Tumbare said there was need to keep the momentum going.
“Well played guys. Keep cool. All eyes on you guys,” he wrote. “Keep the momentum and we’ll be where we belong – on top.”
Munyaradzi Zinomwe was convinced Gutu was man-of-the-match on Monday.
“Makorokoto munin’ina. Well played. For the second week my man-of-the-match,” he wrote. “You showed class.
“Just stay cool. I know it’s a bumpy road.”
Tinashe Kutombo believes Gutu will be a bigger star.
“Go beyond the sky Uche,” he wrote. “Show them what you are made of.”
Theresa Nyenga Magaya said Gutu was fantastic and had few words of advice for Mutuma.
“Gutu, it was fantastic. I liked the way you played,” she wrote. “Keep it up (and) tell Mutuma kana apihwa bhora ngariendese kwarinofanira kuenda.”
Tongesai Chirisa was also full of praise for Gutu but also felt that Mutuma should behave properly.
“You played well brother. Keep the fire burning. But udzawo chimufanha cheku Manhenga (Mutuma) kuti chidizikame because in football it’s very easy to destroy your career.”
John Majuru said Gutu was showing class.
“You really impressed me young man. What a good game. You showed class and we are wholly behind you.”
Brighton Chambwera said he was a left a delirious man.
“Well done, you played very well and keep it up. Wadadisa ende ndafara. Thanks.