The legends that fought the ‘Battle of Zim’

A number of players has crosed the great divide between Highlanders and Dyanamos but very few of them managed to leave a mark on the new side.

The likes of Stewart Murisa, Lovemore Ncube, Masimba Mambare, Lenny Gwata and more recently Rodrick Mutuma have all played for both teams.

Soma-Phiri was a prolific striker who is now considered as a club legend by two of the biggest clubs in the country, Highlanders and Dynamos.

Phiri started his professional football career at the Bulawayo giants before he switched to Dembare in the late 90’s under controversial circumstances. Nicknamed Kwinji 15, the striker made a name with scoring goal with his head. He became a hit during his time at the Harare giants to an extent that some Dembare fans made fun to the Black and White faithfuls that they celebrated Phiri’s goal still thinking he was still their player when he scored in the Battle of Zimbabwe.

In 2013, Mambare left Bosso and was quickly labelled a traitor by the media saying he had a soft spot for the enemy. A lot of people never expected him to deliver for the Harare giants and was considered to be another flop who snub the Mighty Tshilamoya.

Though he started off his new life at the Dynamos with injury setbacks, the lanky midfielder returned for the league game against Bosso. This was his first faceoff with his former masters.

Interestingly, he made the headlines when he scored in that installment of the Battle for Zimbabwe .

Known also as Shuto, Stewart Murisa is another player who enjoyed success with both sides. With trademark dreadlocks, the forward joined, by then, the defending champions Highlanders in 2002.

His spell at the 2002 league winners quickly made an impact with short time and was snatched by a South African side season later.

Well, other players like Lovemore Ncube failed to match the performance at their previous club. The former Bosso captain shocked the football fraternity when he announced his decision to join the Glamour Boys. Together with Lenny Gwata they joined the bitter rivals in 1999 but for Gwata it was a different story as he soon became a regular in the team.

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