By Alvin Madzivanzira
FOOTBALL giants Dynamos’ third league title in a row did not only silence critics, but affirmed the club as one of the most successful clubs, not only in Zimbabwe, but in Southern Africa.
The year 2013 will go down in history as the year of the blue and white boys bagging 20 league titles.
Well-known clubs like Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns do not have such a feat – same story with Zambian sides like Zanaco and Power Dynamos.
They are yet to reach such milestones in their respective leagues.
The success story of the ‘Glamour Boys’, as Dynamos are affectionately known, in the year 2013, was not so different from the previous season.
The league was played down to the wire and the same formula had to be used to decide the winner.
It was the third time in a row when the league was to be decided on the last day of the season.
The 2013 season had Harare City as favourites to lift their maiden title and the football gods seemed to have abandoned DeMbare that year.
The BancABC Super8 had come and gone, with the Harare giants biting the dust while they were dethroned of the Mbada Diamonds Cup competition in the earlier stages.
It was easy to write off Dynamos as the winners of the league that year.
Having won it twice by a whisker, any punter would not pick Dynamos, even as a wild card.
With a number of players having left the club for South Africa, many expected a new Dynamos to struggle.
Washington Arubi had left for the Super Diski, together with Roderick Mutuma and Takesure Chinyama, among others. There were lesser squabbles in the DeMbare boardroom for the third year running and that peace and calmness in the administration was good for football.
It translated to the field of play.
The same coach, Callisto Pasuwa, was still in charge of the club and continuity carried the team through.
Harare City and Highlanders were just on the brink of winning it, but, somehow, the Glamour Boys showed character.
Their never-say-die attitude carried them to the final whistle of the last match and the pendulum swung in their favour again.
The last match of the season saw DeMbare host police side Black Mambas who were fighting relegation.
That made several DeMbare faithfuls miss the match as they had surrendered any title hopes and worse off facing a relegation candidate.
Usually a team that is fighting relegation is a tricky customer.
Harare City, on the other hand, went into their last match of the season as log leaders, enjoying a two point lead with 53 from 29 games.
Dynamos and Highlanders were the nearest rivals with 51 apiece.
Harare City were away at the National Sports Stadium facing the ‘Green Machine’ (CAPS United), while Highlanders were at home at Barbourfields hosting Shabanie Mine.
Harare City, Dynamos and Highlanders were all possible winners.
CAPS United were not an easy pushover in the last match of the season as they forced Harare City to a 2-all draw at the giant National Sports Stadium, while Highlanders were 3-1 victors over Shabanie Mine.
At Rufaro Stadium, it was Simba Sithole’s brace that condemned the police side to relegation that saw the giants taking a healthy lead in the first half.
All the three were tied on 54 points after the final whistle.
With results coming from the two other venues, one across town and the other in the City of Kings and Queens (Bulawayo), Dynamos were the outright winners on goal difference again. Dynamos had a superior goal difference of +21 while both Highlanders and Harare City had +18 goals.
For the third time in a row, a superior goal difference saw the Glamour Boys crowned champions before their loyal fans at the ceremonial home of football, Rufaro Stadium.
Cliff Sekete had played his heart out on a good afternoon as he was involved in all the two goals by Sithole.
It was an interesting afternoon, even for members of the Fourth Estate.
News crews were dispatched to both stadia.
Most chose to be at the National Sports Stadium to see Harare City crowned champions, but alas, they got it wrong.
Those who opted to go to Rufaro Stadium witnessed the crowning of the champions.
For the third time in a row, Dynamos were the football ambassadors in the continental club competition, the Champions League.
However, it was sad that the club that dominated the local football terrain failed to leave a mark on the continent after 2010.
After retaining the Premier Soccer League, cup for the third time in a row, Dynamos got the cup for keeps for their trophy cabinet.