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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

HARARE soccer giants Dynamos lived true to their moniker “Glamour Boys” as they showed off a fine sense of fashion with a trendy photoshoot in the build-up to the start of the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

If their stylish photoshoot that has been trending on all social media platforms is a sign of things to come, then DeMbare go into today’s season opener against  Hwange FC at Barbourfields Stadium with confidence. 

Pictures taken from their shoot at the National Sports Stadium on Thursday have drawn praise even from the unlikely sources, who include some of Highlander’s followers.

Dynamos paraded their players in navy slim-suits that perfectly hugged the players’ athletic bodies, with most members of the DeMbare squad breaking the traditional suit and shoe culture, by replacing shoes classy trainers.

Simply put, Dynamos got drip.

DeMbare, Chazunguza, Glamour Boys as they are affectionately known, have surely scored points with their outfits in the team photo. Now as they face Premiership returnees Hwange whose kit unveiling and club photoshoot for 2023 season looked amateurish, Dynamos will hope to transfer that drip onto the field of play and open their account with maximum points.

Coach Herbert Maruwa, who was part of Callisto Pasuwa’s backroom staff when Dynamos won four championships in a row between 2011 and 2014, has promised to deliver entertaining football that will bring back the glamour to the club.

Former Yadah FC gaffer, Genesis Mangombe, whose philosophy is based on free-flow entertaining football, has been brought in as Maruwa’s assistant.

Dynamos, who lost about half of their squad are going through a transformational period and have brought in at least a dozen players who include club returnee Denver Mukamba, Moyo defensive twins Elvis and Kelvin, pint-sized midfielder Arthur “Diego” Musiyiwa, Tanaka Shandirwa, Keith Madera, Nyasha Chintuli and Eli Ilunga.

DeMbare also beat Highlanders to the signature of striker Jayden Bakare, with rumours saying the player’s father influenced the young forward’s decision after allegedly threatening to disown him if he signed for Bosso.

All the months of work for Maruwa come to test this afternoon.

Dynamos were spared the agony of travelling to the coal mining town after Hwange’s home ground Colliery Stadium failed to meet the grade to play host to topflight games. Until such a time that Hwange finishes renovations at the Colliery, they will play their home matches in Bulawayo.

Hwange were forced to reshuffle their technical team and recall Nation Dube to be their head coach while reassigning Bongani Mafu who doesn’t have the pre-requisite Caf A Licence required for one to be in charge of Premiership games.

Hwange will bank on the experience of seasoned midfielders Thabani Goredema, Sipho Ndlovu and Canaan Nkomo to guide the young lads against Dynamos.

Chipangano managed to retain the services of striker Ernest Gwitima to lead their  attack.

The club also signed Copa Coca-Cola product Tendai “Shumba” Muvuti, a 19-year-old former Mpopoma High School pupil who shined at the schools’ football competition in 2019. Last year, Muvuti, who has already featured in Hwange’s pre-season friendly matches, was in the books of Bulawayo Chiefs.

The young attacking midfielder joined Chipangano as one of the junior players together with the club’s junior team graduates Attitude Munsaka, Quinton Longwe (son to ex-Hwange dribbling wizard Marlvin) and Proud Anesu Richard. The club also roped in Claivert Tshuma who previously turned out for Dynamos. 

While the Glamour Boys and Hwange strut it out at Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo Chiefs will be hoping to bounce from last weekend’s 2-0 Castle Challenge Cup defeat to FC Platinum and collect maximum points against Ngezi Platinum Stars at Luveve Stadium this afternoon.

In other matches slated for today, Premiership debutants Sheasham play host to Chicken Inn at Mandava Stadium, with defending champions FC Platinum making a trip to Harare to date new boys Simba Bhora.

Meanwhile, Highlanders who have gone for 17 years without a league title are at home to Triangle United in one of the three matches set tomorrow.

Bosso will be among spectators at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon to watch the Hwange and Dynamos clash. Highlanders face Dynamos on Match day 5.

Ahead of the ZPC Kariba encounter set for Barbourfields Stadium, Highlanders announced their 25-member squad that has seven new signings.

The new arrivals at Bosso are defenders Marvelous Chigumira and Gillian Nyathi, midfield-quintet of Melikhaya Ncube, Brighton Manhire, Elshamar Farasi and McKinnon Mushore as well striker Calvin Chigonero.

Chigumira joins Bosso from TelOne, while Nyathi, who can play as a central defender as well as defensive midfielder was promoted from the Bosso-90 alongside Mushore who is a left attacking midfielder, with the pair of anchorman Ncube and winger Farasi joining Bosso from relegated Bulawayo City.

Defensive midfielder Manhire joins Highlanders following a stint he had with South Africa’s Premiership side Richards Bay when they were in the first division.

Chigonero is on a season’s loan from Talen Vision.

Match day One Fixtures

Saturday, March 18: Simba Bhora v FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium), Sheasham FC v Chicken Inn (Mandava), Bulawayo Chiefs v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Luveve), Hwange v Dynamos (Barbourfields)

Sunday, March 19: Caps United v Manica Diamonds (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders v ZPC Kariba (Barbourfields), Triangle United v Herentals (Gibbo)

Monday, March 20: Yadah FC v Green Fuel (National Sports Stadium, 12pm), Cranborne Bullets v Black Rhinos (National Sports Stadium, 3pm) — @ZililoR