Dodo sees progress

13 Jun, 2021 - 09:06 0 Views
Dodo sees progress

The Sunday Mail

Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter

FOR some of their fans, watching CAPS United play is real therapy.

Unbeknown to players, their performance on the pitch has an impact on the millions of supporters who have been following the club since its formation in 1973.

For Kelly “Mangwenya” Ngwenya, the staunch CAPS United supporter who is also a mortician by profession, Makepekepe played a part in healing her soul after a painful divorce that saw her relocating from South Africa in 2015.

“I was nursing a 10-month-old baby when I came back from South Africa after a miserable marriage. In a bid to forget the mishap, I found myself at the stadium every Sunday to ease my mind.

“I learnt after my divorce that CAPS United can heal, so here I am, still vibrant, with more energy for the Green Machine and more verve to look after my family,” she told The Sunday Mail Sport.

CAPS United won the league title in 2016, and that must have been more therapy for her.

Now, the Green Machine are trying for the seventh time to win the Chibuku Super Cup.

They go into today’s Group One clash against ZPC Kariba at the National Sports Stadium knowing a victory will cement their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals.

The top two teams from each group progress to the last eight.

And United’s best achievement in this competition was a semi-final berth in 2018.

Makepekepe fans, including Simon Zhakata of the “Ibhora ripi iroro” fame, might not be at the stadium due to existing Covid-19 protocols, but they will be rooting for their beloved team in spirit.

So dedicated to CAPS United is Ngwenya that she would sometimes do her mortician duties in the morning before dashing to the stadium.

“We do body removals, we do the embalming and dressing of the corpse and sometimes we carry the coffin to the grave.

“I have dressed bodies before going to the matches . . .,” said Ngwenya.

There are expectations the team might finally win the Chibuku Super Cup after futile attempts since 2014 when the competition began.

A number of exciting players, including red-hot former Harare City winger Ishmael Wadi, Leeroy Mavhunga, Tatenda Tumba (Harare City), Ian Nyoni (Chapungu), Carlos Mavhurume (Herentals) and Brendon Mpofu (Bulawayo Chiefs), have been brought on board.

Wadi has scored three times so far in the tournament.

Coach Darlington Dodo is aware of the expectations and feels the optimism is justified.

The much-travelled gaffer took charge of his 20th competitive game for Makepekepe in last weekend’s 1-1 draw against city rivals Dynamos and he is seeing some progress in the green half of the capital.

He has lost six times since taking over from Lloyd Chitembwe in August 2019, but is yet to taste defeat in this year’s edition of the Chibuku Super Cup.

CAPS United are also favourites to advance to the next round.

They go into today’s encounter on the back of three draws against Yadah Stars, Harare City and Dynamos, and a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Herentals.

They have conceded in every match they have played so far but Dodo thinks the team is moving in the right direction.

“We have prepared well for this game. For us, it was a fruitful week because we have been working on some of our mistakes.

“We have rectified all our mistakes and we are looking forward to a good game against ZPC Kariba.

“The last two games we didn’t concede in open play. It shows they (players) are doing well; they have improved defensively,” he said.

CAPS United trusted back-four comprises of Webster Tafa, Carlos Mavhurume, Munyaradzi Nyenye and Brendon Mpofu.

Dodo welcomes back wingers Mavhunga and Nyoni from the treatment table.

The influential Phineas Bamusi is, however, still out with an injury.

While Dodo does not seem to have any complaints, his ZPC Kariba counterpart Godfrey Tamirepi is agonising over his team’s unfortunate situation.

ZPC Kariba are the only team in Group One travelling longer distances for their assignments and the gaffer fears fatigue could soon cripple his squad.

“We are losing training time, recovery and rest time on the road whilst the Harare teams are enjoying the advantage.

“Fatigue is going to cripple us in due course,” he said.

The two-time semi-finalists have five points and could dislodge second-placed CAPS United with a win today.

Big centre-back Byron Madzokere resumed training on Tuesday after recovering from a calf injury and is up for selection, but Tapiwa Matongo is still on the mend.

Tamirepi can also look up to slippery winger Samuel Makawa and the veteran midfield pair of Collen Muleya and Brian Juru, as he seeks to register his second win in the group.

Former CAPS United central midfielder Kudzai Nyamupfukudza and ex-Mushowani Stars striker Paul Chiramba are also now at “Kauya Katuruturu.”

The pair provide ZPC with experience.

Chibuku Super Club is being played in cluster format at four selected venues – Barbourfields, Mandava, Sakubva and National Sports Stadium.

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