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Harare Bureau
Caps United…………………………………….(1) 2
How Mine ………………………………………0 (2)
(How Mine won 4-2 on penalties)
PREMIERSHIP debutants How Mine continued writing their fairytale in the Mbada Diamonds Cup competition when they trapped Caps United into their shaft in a rain-soaked semi-final tie at the National Sports Stadium yesterday. How Mine will now meet city rivals Highlanders in the first ever Bulawayo derby for this premier knockout football competition after Bosso beat Harare City 5-3 in another penalty shoot-out at Mandava on Saturday.
Highlanders can still wrap up their season in style as they are also in the running for the league championship, but it’s How Mine who should be bragging before the final, likely to be at Barbourfields.
How Mine have thumped Bosso twice this season in the league and also claimed the scalp of defending Mbada Diamonds Cup champions Dynamos at the quarter-final stage.
Yesterday it was Caps United who were shown the exit as Chikurupati rallied from behind to earn a draw and then force the match to a penalty shoot-out where they converted four of their efforts while Caps United slotted twice.
Pre-match favourites Caps United had appeared on course for their third win over How Mine when Rahman Kutsanzira gave them the lead in the 42nd minute as he finished off a free-kick delivered from the left.
After taking the slender lead, Caps United fans started singing songs denigrating their city rivals Dynamos, whose fans were backing How Mine. A mini zone war was created between Bays 1 and 2 as Dynamos fans pelted their Caps United counterparts with missiles.
In the second half, How Mine evened the scores when Warren Dube’s effort inside the box beat Tafadzwa Dube, in goals for the Green Machine in the 54th minute.
How Mine then appeared to have wrapped up the match in the 57th minute when Menard Mupera scored what could stand out as the goal of the tournament as his well-taken shot gave Dube no chance at all.
The ball was written “goal” as soon as it left the veteran midfielder’s foot to whistle past a cluster of Caps United players and rest at the back of the net.
To their credit, Caps United continued fighting and were duly rewarded on the stroke of the hour when Tawanda Nyamandwe planted a firm header past goalkeeper Ephraim Mazarura.
The heavens then opened up and some players struggled to control the ball after the pitch became slippery while the dark clouds also limited visibility and the match had to be played under floodlights.
Caps United coach Taurai Mangwiro said it was unfortunate that they failed to wrap up the game especially in the first half when they had meaningful chances.
“We let it slip. I thought we had the game under control in the first half when we dominated and took the lead. After the break, we just had a few minutes of madness and they punished us. We managed to claw back into the game unfortunately the game had to be decided on a penalty shoot-out.
“During the shoot-out we did not do as much as we expected and it’s tough luck to us. Unfortunately we bow out of the tournament but we had tried very hard,” said Mangwiro.
Caps United were very upbeat about their chances of beating How Mine after they thumped the miners twice in the league this season but yesterday the tables were turned against them. “We wanted to go all the way to lift the title but this is the end result. We needed this (Mbada Diamonds Cup) for a lifeline but we could not take it and but allow me to say thanks to the Caps United family.
“Although we fell short, the support had been tremendous and let’s not look down because we have lost today’s encounter. How Mine came out fighting and we knew that they will do that,” said Mangwiro.
While it was all gloomy in the Caps United camp, How Mine coach Philani Ncube was boasting that he had completed another giant-killing act.
Online Reporter