The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
CAPS UNITED have beaten Chapungu just thrice over the past decade, and as the two teams square up in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash at the National Sports Stadium in Harare today, Makepekepe have every reason to be cautious.
Kickoff is 3pm.
Since their last league title triumph in 2005, the Green Machine has played Waru Waru – who have been in and out of the top flight – in 12 league encounters.
Chapungu have four wins while the other clashes have ended in a share of spoils.
Caps United suffered back to back defeats against Chapungu last season and their coach Lloyd Chitembwe is aware of the danger posed by the airmen.
Given a choice, the Caps United gaffer would not have opted to open the season with a date against bogey side Chapungu.
“We do respect Chapungu, they have a decent group of players but I think we equally have good and quality players in our side … enough to take care of them,” said Chitembwe.
Buoyed by the deep pockets of club president Farai Jere, Caps United made some headline signings during the off-season and start this campaign among the championship favourites.
However, Chitembwe refuses to install his side as title contenders.
“We haven’t made those (winning the title) intentions very clear, what we have made very clear is our desire to be very competitive,” he said.
Chitembwe, who was part of the last group of Caps United players to win the league title in 2005, acknowledges the hunger for the championship within the Makepekepe family but insists he will not buckle under external pressure.
“For us, myself in particular, the pressure that I respect is that which comes from within me, the pressure of wanting to do well.
“The outside pressure sometimes you don’t have control over it, so at the end of the day it is not as important to me as the pressure that is coming from within.
“Personally I feel we want to do very well this season, the championship is the ultimate prize but you cannot win it before you win the games.”
There are a lot of expectations at Makepekepe.
The fans want the title while the club president craves both winning and a beautiful brand of football.
Apart from the duo of striker Leonard Tsipa and wing back Zvikomborero Bizeki, who have been dropped due to injuries, Caps United have a large pool to select from.
Stephen Makatuka, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Archford Gutu, Abbas Amidu, Dennis Dauda, Phineas Bamusi, Cabby Kamhapa, Allan Gahadzikwa and Dominic Chungwa are all available for selection.
Skipper Method Mwanjali and striker Simba Nhivi were set for late fitness tests yesterday.
Despite facing a star studded Makepekepe in his team’s opening game of the season Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino is unfazed.
“We will win the game,” he declared. “We are prepared for the game, we know the kind of opponents we are facing. They have quite a number of new players, an expensively assembled side tipped to win the title but we are ready for them.”
Chapungu did not make any major signings as they opted to promote juniors from within their ranks.
Fixtures (All matches start at 3pm)
Hwange v Highlanders (Colliery), Caps United v Chapungu (NSS), Mutare City Rovers v Ngezi Platinum (Sakubva), Triangle v Harare City FC (Gibbo)
