The Sunday Mail
Makomborero Mutimukulu Sports Editor
LLOYD CHITEMBWE believes that “Football does not lie”. One has to know that the conversation is over when the Caps United coach remarks: “Bhora harinyepe.”
And at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Friday, football told no lies as his Makepekepe side was ruthlessly exposed by Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya in a Caf Champions League group match. A proud unbeaten run at the 60 000-seat stadium was blown away by a side many believed to be the weakest in a group that also contains Egypt’s Zamalek and Algeria’s USM Alger. It ended 2-4 at the NSS but the scoreline shouldn’t fool those who will read about this massacre in the month of Ramadhaan. Caps United were poor beyond measure, watching them play hurt the eyes and the heart – probably hurting even more than the ankle injury that saw Edmore Sibanda wobble out of the starting XI soon after warm-up.
There were always doubts about Sibanda’s fitness and the decision to gamble on him backfired. Jorum Muchambo also battled injury demons in the build-up to this one, but unlike Sibanda, he came through the warm-up in usable state.
The second choice Caps United goalie will be blamed by some for this molestation but that will be unfair, diabolical even. There was everything wrong with Caps United on a Black Friday that was not the 13th. With Dennis Dauda injured, Chitembwe opted to go with three – Hardlife Zvirekwi, Justice Jangano and Ronald Pfumbidzai – at the back.
The Antonio Conte route did not make Caps United as balanced as Chelsea were when the Italian gaffer changed from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2. Instead Makepekepe looked confused, especially when Al Ahli Tripoli decided to push additional men into the pockets between the three centre-backs. Zvirekwi, Jangano and Pfumbidzai identified their men and stuck to them but that cover was not enough.
When the Libyans threw additional men upfront, Devon Chafa was forced to drop deep while Moses Muchenje tried his best to act as the pivot at the heart of midfield. The pressure was becoming unbearable and when Jangano lunged into an opponent inside the box, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot, a nightmarish 10-minute spell descended the local champions. On 17 minutes it was 0-1, 0-2 was the score on 22 minutes and on 27 minutes – five minutes after the second goal – Al Ahli Tripoli were three to the good.
In his half-time talk, Chitembwe asked his men to play for the shirt, play for pride, but this battle was long lost adn the die mercilessly cast. The Libyans added a fourth before Pfumbidzai converted a penalty and Zvirekwi added a late second to put a gloss to the scoreline that Caps United hardly deserved. Skipper Samea Derbali (brace), Salem Ablo and Muaid Salam were on target for the Libyans.
Getting a quarterfinal slot from this stage where Makepekepe have three points from three games will take something special. Chitembwe appeared to be penning an obituary for the Caps’ 2017 Caf Champions League campaign in his post-match comments: “These boys must be commended for getting this far.” It’s true.
This Makepekepe outfit has punched above its weight and with nearly empty coffers too.However, since football does not lie there is no escaping the fact that the Zimbabwean champions were abysmal on Friday.
