Tadious Manyepo — Dynamos have a tendency of throwing in their A game when their camp is in turmoil.
It might just be the same script this afternoon when DeMbare host old rivals Highlanders in a Chibuku semi-final showdown at Rufaro that has been dubbed "the final before the final".
Their players had threatened to boycott the crucial encounter owing to unpaid bonuses, which have reportedly been outstanding for some time.
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An agreement was reached late yesterday between the club management and the players, enabling skipper Emmanuel Jalai and his troops to switch their attention back to the massive game.
Dynamos also have some piece of history beckoning for them as they aim to become the first team to reach three successive Chibuku Super Cup finals and also retain the silverware.
They were champions in 2023 and 2024.
Ironically, at the same stage of the competition last year, Dynamos were rocked by a player boycott before their semi-final encounter against Manica Diamonds, which they went on to win.
And they are hoping to do the same against a Bosso team with whom they drew 1-1 in a league clash at Barbourfields last Sunday.
This is also the first time that Dynamos and 2019 winners Highlanders are meeting in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-final.
It is a match Dynamos coach Kelvin Kaindu knows he has to win to maintain his record as he has never lost a game across all competitions since joining Dynamos in August.
Besides, Kaindu is fully aware that the Harare giants have disappointed their fans by staying in the relegation zone this season despite appearing to have swam their way to safety.
Success in the cup competition could restore the much-needed confidence in the team and among their legion of fans.
But the road to what could be their third successive triumph in the premium knockout tournament in the country is not so easy against Kaindu's former employees.
And it will feel even better to win it in a season when the chips have been down.
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But Bosso have not had a good season in the league as well and they will also be keen to win their second Chibuku Super Cup.
Interestingly, when they won it the first time, they were under the tutelage of Pieter De Jongh, who has returned to the post for the second time.
The Dutchman also masterminded a 1-0 win over Dynamos at Rufaro in the Round of 16 tie that same year.
Commenting on that, Kaindu said: "History is history. I think football is played on the field. If we'd get results before I'm sure every coach would get a win. But football is played on the field. It also depends on how ready you are psychologically, physically and also mentally.
"Yes, history is there. But like I said earlier on, probably the only thing that we need to get on is for us to progress to the final.
"But it's hard . . . It's not an easy game. I think they'll throw whatever they have got for them to also progress."
Kaindu reckoned Highlanders were also not doing well.
"And maybe their own consolation could also be for them to get to the final. That would make it quite interesting because there are a lot of people who are not doing very well," he said.
"There is no team that is going to stay behind. I think everyone will try and open up the game and just allow free play."
The Zambian refused to draw parallels to last weekend's clash between the two teams.
"This is a different game. We played them last week, we drew in a game I think we could have come out with maximum points," he said.
"But this is a cup game that we are playing, we are playing a semi-final. We've done well I think in the cup games that we have been playing.
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"Looking at the position where we are on the log, probably our only consolation that we have is for us to progress to the final."
Kaindu said Highlanders were an equally strong opponent.
"We have got a crowd and we hope that they will still come out in numbers to come and cheer the team," he said.
"We've got an advantage with the crowd, we've got an advantage with the number of games that we have played at Rufaro.
"But this has been the home ground for Dynamos for quite some time. We've got the pedigree, we're playing at home, we've got the crowd behind us and we just hope that we still keep the record."
One of Kaindu's rookie players, Vusa Ngwenya, said DeMbare was ready despite their in-house problems.
"We are ready for Highlanders. We have been telling each other to perform well and make sure that we defend the trophy we have called ours for the past two years," he said.
