Online Reporter
Onward Gangata
CAPS UNITED scraped over the line in Kwekwe, winning 2–0 against a relegated side that almost didn’t pitch up, and their coach Ian Bakala didn’t hide how much work lies ahead.
Two second half goals from Mutshimba Mugalu and substitute Adam Tende sealed the points at Ascot Stadium.
Makepekepe closed the season in ninth place with 43 points, but the performance raised more questions than it answered.
Kwekwe United, whose players had threatened to boycott the match over unpaid dues, only arrived at the stadium half an hour before kick off and went through a rushed warm up.
Even so, they pushed CAPS United for long stretches and should have taken the lead on the stroke of halftime when Tafadzwa Muzenda had his penalty saved by Stephen Kwaku.
Bakala admitted the gulf between CAPS United and the league’s top sides is much wider than the scoreline suggested.
“Looking at the other teams in the league and how they play, I think CAPS United need a lot of good players,” he said after the match.
“If we do that we can be good, we just need good players and everything will be okay and we can be competitive again.
“This game was one of the games we expected to win, a win today was automatic, but we struggled at the start. I am happy that the players came back better in the second half and we managed to wrap up the match.”
CAPS United had more of the ball in a dull first half but wasted the chances they created.
They almost paid for it before the break when Muzenda stepped up after Andile Taruvinga was fouled, only for Kwaku to come to the rescue.
Moments into the second half, Mugalu finished calmly after being set up by Ishmael Wadi.
Kwekwe tried to respond but lacked the sharpness to trouble Bakala’s men.
Tende put the match to bed late on, turning in from inside the box to stretch the lead and give CAPS United their expected win, even if it didn’t feel like one.
dyton mupawaenda