The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Caps United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
ZPC Kariba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(2) 2
WARRIORS’ wing-back Hardlife Zvirekwi was stretchered off with five minutes to play as his Caps United team overcame a two-goal deficit to snatch a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League point at Rufaro in Harare yesterday.
Zvirekwi’s injury will have national team coach Kallisto Pasuwa worried as he prepares to announce this week his squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at home to Malawi in early June.
Makepekepe team doctor Mordecai Sachikonye said it was too early for him to give a detailed diagnosis of the injury and further tests were scheduled for today.
“It’s an ankle injury and we will check on him again tomorrow (today),” said Sachikonye. “I know you are asking because of the Warriors match, but my feeling is that he should recover for that one.”
Away from that, ZPC Kariba will make the long trip back home feeling like they drew a match they should have won.
Veteran forward Limited Chikafa and Talent Chawapiwa scored for the visitors before the hosts rallied with goals from Phineas Bamusi and Leonard Tsipa.
But it was the visitors who exploded at the kick-off whistle, with Chawapiwa making a mockery of former Soccer Star of the Year Dennis Dauda’s defensive prowess.
Former Caps United darling Chikafa thrust the visitors into the lead with 15 minutes on the clock when he headed home a Never Tigere cross.
Chawapiwa, who was unplayable in the first half, doubled the lead in sublime style in the 24th minute. The former Harare City midfielder cheekily lobbed the ball over Dauda, timed his run, and repeated the trick on an outdrawn Jorum Muchambo in goals for Caps before firing a bullet that beat defenders who had retreated to cover for Muchambo.
Starring defeat in the eye, Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe made a double substitution at halftime, bringing on Phineas Bamusi and Dominic Chungwa for Archford Gutu and Simbarashe Nhivi.
The substitution breathed life into the hosts with Bamusi, Joel Ngodzo, Zvirekwi and Ronald Pfumbidzai impressive in the fight back.
Bamusi pulled one back for United in the 71st minute with a beautiful header off a Ngodzo cross.
Veteran Tsipa then forced a share of the spoils four minutes from the end when he headed home a Pfumbidzai free-kick.
ZPC Kariba gaffer Sunday Chidzambwa was naturally a disappointed man and felt his goalkeeper, Tendai Hove, could have done better.
“I am definitely disappointed with the way we defended in the second half,” said Chidzambwa. “It’s not like Caps United scored brilliant goals but our goalkeeper should have done better with those crosses. However, it’s a point gained for us.”
Chitembwe praised his team’s fighting spirit.
“We did change the shape of the whole team at halftime and brought in Phineas who gave us a lot of width,” he said. “Credit goes to the boys for the way they responded in the second half. It’s not about the points but the performance of the team. We will talk about points at the end of the season.”
Caps United: J Muchambo, H Zvirekwi (Z Bizeki, 85’), R Pfumbidzai, D Dauda, S Makatuka, K Nyamupfukudza, J Ngodzo, A Amidu, A Gutu (P Bamusi, 46’), S Nhivi (D Chungwa, 85), L Tsipa
ZPC Kariba: T Hove, T Munyanduri, M Kunyarimwe, E Meleka, S Appiah, L Zvasiya, T Nyamandwe, N Tigere (D Phiri, 87’), P Kabwe, L Chikafa (T Chitora, 63), T Chawapiwa (G Mangani, 74)
