Harare giants Dynamos F.C are facing a turbulent period both on and off the pitch, with head coach Aristica Cioaba declaring that he will walk away from the club if he fails to secure a top-four finish in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League this season.

The Romanian tactician made his position unequivocally clear in the wake of his side’s disappointing elimination from the Chibuku Super Cup on Sunday.

The Glamour Boys suffered an agonising quarter-final exit at the hands of FC Hunters at Rufaro Stadium, losing 4-1 in a penalty shootout after the match had ended 1-1 after 90 minutes of play.

The result compounded what has been a difficult campaign for the Harare giants, who had already been knocked out of the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.

With two cup competitions now beyond their reach, Cioaba has shifted his focus entirely to the league, but he has attached a significant condition to his continued tenure at the club.

Speaking to the media after the painful defeat, the former FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars coach issued a blunt ultimatum regarding his future.

He stated that while a top-four finish remains achievable, it will require unity and collective commitment from everyone involved at the club.

He emphasised that this was a direct message to all stakeholders, making it clear that there would be no room for complacency.

However, Cioaba was quick to add a personal caveat, revealing that he had made a promise to leave should the objective not be realised.

He explained that if he fails to guide the team into the top four, he will not continue in his role and will depart the club.

The declaration places immense pressure on the coach and his squad as they navigate the remainder of the season.

Cioaba, who took charge of Dynamos in July following the departure of Genesis Mangombe, has endured a mixed spell since arriving at the club.

The defeat to Hunters represented another significant setback for a side that has struggled to find consistency in a season filled with high expectations.

Dynamos, who are the Chibuku defending champions, now find themselves in a precarious position as they attempt to salvage their campaign.

The match itself was a dramatic affair.

Dynamos appeared to be on course for a semi-final berth when Frank Agyemang converted a penalty in the 74th minute to give his side the lead.

However, Hunters had other ideas, and substitute Oden Sira struck four minutes from time to level the scores and force the tie into a penalty shootout.

In the ensuing spot-kicks, Hunters held their nerve, converting four of their attempts.

Dynamos, by contrast, faltered, missing their first two penalties.

Although they managed to convert their third, it was insufficient to keep the contest alive, and Hunters progressed to the last four at the Glamour Boys’ expense.

Elsewhere, Highlanders secured their place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought 3-2 penalty shootout victory over MWOS at Barbourfields Stadium.

That encounter also finished 1-1 after regulation time, with Arthur Banda giving MWOS a 28th-minute lead before Royn Nyamono equalised in the second half.

Highlanders ultimately prevailed from the spot to join Hunters and CAPS United in the semi-finals.

The final semi-final spot will be determined on Wednesday when Scottland face rivals Hardrock.

The semi-finals are scheduled to take place between October 31 and November 1, with the final set for November 28.

For Cioaba and Dynamos, however, the focus has now shifted entirely to the league, where the coach’s future hangs in the balance.