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Eddie Chikamhi Harare Bureau
Caps United 4-0 Highlanders
Taurai Mangwiro believes Caps United got a perfect revenge at home when they humiliated old rivals Highlanders and in the process practically dumping the beleaguered Bulawayo giants out of the Castle Lager Premiership race at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Mangwiro and his players were in partying mood yesterday after scoring four goals without response from Highlanders in front of a small but appreciative crowd at the giant stadium.
The Green Machine needed just 22 minutes to flatten their opponents and hand them their biggest defeat this season as they raced to a swift 3-0 lead after neutralising the visitors’ early raids with goals from Ishmael Thindwa, Nicholas Alifandika and an own-goal by Dumisani Ndlovu.
Kelvin Bulaji then killed the game as a contest with a firm header in the 75th minute to ensure that partying continued in the Caps United supporters’ bays.
Mangwiro said there was no better way to revenge the embarrassment they suffered at Barbourfields when they lost to Highlanders by the same margin in the reverse fixture.
He had huge plans for that game and his strategies worked as Bosso looked clueless in their first match without Zambian coach Kelvin Kaindu who was pushed out of the institution last week.
“We wanted to atone for that loss. I am glad today the players came to party and they delivered. We did very well. Emphasis at training was on retaining the ball for as long as possible and holding the transition well. I am sure today it all worked well for us. We could do more with improvement on possession,” said Mangwiro.
Bosso started strongly in the opening few minutes but after missing a couple of chances they took a huge knock when Malawian forward Thindwa put the Green Machine ahead.
Thindwa was at hand to finish off from close range and in the process break a goal duck that had seemed to have taken a toll on his game in his first season at the Green Machine after the Highlanders defenders failed to clear their lines from a corner kick in the fifth minute.
With only 10 minutes played, Alifandika doubled the lead when he headed home from a free kick taken by Ronald Pfumbidzai, beating the offside trap as Bosso defenders failed to react on time when the ball was released.
Bosso could have reduced the arrears in the 14th minute but Pfumbidzai made a timely interception to block Charles Sibanda’s goal-bound effort with goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube beaten.
Ndlovu then made the costly blunder when he miscued his effort into his own nets while trying to play the ball to safety, beating badly positioned goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni from the edge of the box to put Makepekepe firmly in the driver’s seat after 22 minutes of play.
Generally, Bosso’s defending was atrocious yesterday and it proved to be their Achilles Heel at the end. Interim coach Mark Mathe seemed clueless as he made numerous positional changes which apparently cost the team.
Mathe chose to leave out regular goalkeeper and skipper Ariel Sibanda for Nyoni, started with veteran defender Innocent Mapuranga playing defensive link where he struggled with the pace before switching roles with Felix Chindungwe who had been placed at centre back partnering Erick Mudzingwa.
It looked like the coach was experimenting. The defence failed to click and appeared jittery before Mudzingwa was shunted back to his usual right back position and Ndlovu returning to the central defence to reunite with Mapuranga in the second half.
Bosso started the second half strongly, the same way they had begun in the opening minutes of the game but the goals could not come. Caps United defender Stephen Makatuka made a brilliant clearance from the line to deny former teammate Rahman Kutsanzira a goal after the forward had pounced on a loose ball from a cross made by Sibanda on the left flank.
But there was no letting off for Highlanders for their poor defending as they were punished in the 75th minute when Bulaji headed home to bury a good cross by Zimbabwe youth international Takudzwa Mahori.
The fans sang praise songs for the team and endorsed coach Mangwiro who managed to help the team maintain their place in the championship race. Makepekepe reinforced their place in third position with 45 points, four behind leaders Dynamos.
With five games remaining in the marathon, Mangwiro who was at the receiving end of supporters’ fury after dropping points at home last month, said unity is needed in the structures as they aim to finish strongly.
“It’s the nature of our job. At times I feel the criticism that I get is unfair on my part. But I am not here to try and defend myself. Those that would appreciate will join the bandwagon at the end of it all.
“Maybe if I am so poor eventually I will be the biggest loser. But all I am asking for is we need to pull together in the same direction. That is what we need as a family and not to play the blame game,” said Mangwiro.
Highlanders remained fourth on the log standings but the Bulawayo giants are now 10 points off the pace in the championship race. Apparently with five games remaining, it will be difficult for them to settle and cover the lost ground especially with the situation in the camp following the acrimonious departure of their Zambian coach Kaindu last week.
Bosso have let in seven goals in their last two games following the 3-1 home defeat to ZPC in their last match. Mathe yesterday said four goals were too much although he still hopes the side would bounce back from the setback. The Highlanders coach said their defence was a big letdown.
“It is too much but remember we did the same to Caps United. It happens in football. All we needed to do was to be tactically better in defence. We were not, and Caps were inspired by the loss they suffered at Barbourfields, so they were up for it.
“We really struggled in dealing with their speed and their counter-attack play and we didn’t win all the second balls. If you notice in the first half, first four-five minutes we missed four-five chances including that penalty (appeal). It could have changed the course of the game. Tactically we were sound offensively but defensively we were not. Penetration was our down point,” said Mathe.
Teams
CAPS United: T. Dube, T. Khumbuyani, R. Pfumbidzai, D. Chipala, S. Makatuka, T. Samanja, H. zvirekwi, M. Muchenje (T. Mahori, 57th minute), N. Alifandika (G. Mangani, 70th minute), I. Thindwa, K. Bulaji (D. Mukandi, 85th minute)
Highlanders: N. Nyoni, D. Ndlovu, B. Kangwa, E. Mudzingwa, F. Chindungwe, I. Mapuranga, M. Maphosa (W. Ndiweni, 66th minute), R. Kutsanzira, J. Ngodzo (P. Manhanga, 40th minute), C. Sibanda (O. Zibande, 71st minute), G. Nyoni
Online Reporter