In what is arguably one of the most crucial fixtures in their long and decorated existence, Zimbabwe's most successful football club, Dynamos FC, confronts the spectre of relegation this afternoon.
The Glamour Boys of Harare, formed in 1963 and boasting of 21 league titles, enter the final day of the season needing at least a point against four-time champions FC Platinum to ensure their top-flight survival and avoid the unthinkable dreaded chop at Rufaro Stadium this afternoon.
At stake is Dynamos’ proud, near-unblemished record: they are one of the select few teams to have never been relegated from the top flight since Zimbabwe’s Independence in 1980.
But as the clock ticks towards 5 PM today, that cherished status hangs perilously in the balance.
This is only the second time that DeMbare have had to navigate the league's final game to secure survival.
The first, and arguably the most dramatic, was in 2005 when they pulled off a miraculous escape by defeating Masvingo United under what were described as "fortuitous circumstances" at Mucheke Stadium.
Today, the stakes are just as high. Dynamos currently sit on 38 points from 33 matches, occupying 13th position in the 18-team standings.
They are only three points clear of Yadah FC in the 17th relegation spot. Their goal difference of minus six (-6), which is identical to Yadah's, offers no comfort should results elsewhere go against them. A loss today could spell disaster.
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Dynamos’ opponents, FC Platinum, are comfortably nestled in sixth place and have little left to play for, yet the match intensity, as noted by the coach, is expected to be high.
However, DeMbare’s fate is interwoven with a complex web of other crucial fixtures involving teams fighting for their own survival:
GreenFuel (16th, 36 points) host Triangle United (14th, 37 points).
Manica Diamonds (12th, 38 points) play Bikita Minerals (14th, 37 points).
Outgoing champions Simba Bhora host basement battlers Yadah FC (17th, 35 points).
Highlanders (10th, 38 points) face Chicken Inn (11th, 38 points) in a key match that could affect the mid-table safety threshold.
Despite the high-pressure environment, Dynamos coach Kelvin Kaindu is choosing to focus on his team's performance and the fact that they control their own destiny.
A victory guarantees safety, irrespective of what happens elsewhere.
Addressing the media, DeMbare coach Kelvin Kaindu underscored the season’s competitiveness and his team's fightback:
"I think it's quite an interesting league for you to get to the last game and probably not sure who is going down,” Kaindu said.
“That shows how competitive the league was this season. But we want to give credit to the team for us to be in the position where we are today."
"I think we have worked extremely hard for us to move from the position where we were when we joined the team.
“And I think we are remaining with the last game that probably cast the dice for us to decide our fate.
“I think for us we have to focus on what we have been doing," he said.
Kaindu stressed the importance of winning on their own terms rather than relying on external factors or administrative decisions.
"We want to win for ourselves. I think what is most important is the ability for us to be consistent.
“We have been picking points from the time that we started. And even in the last game we are playing a team that is very organised, former champions...
“For us to play Platinum in the last game, it shows that the intensity is going to be high.
“But we want to believe in the confidence that we have raised and also just remain consistent.
“And it will be easier for us to get points on our own than to wait on what has been amended."
For the legions of Dynamos faithful, this afternoon is about more than just three points; it's about preserving a legacy.
The 90 minutes against FC Platinum will define the club's season and potentially, its immediate future.
