adminTakudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
CAPS UNITED are not throwing in the towel, in their battle to win their first Castle Lager Premiership title in nine years, with coach Taurai Mangwiro saying football can throw many surprises.
The Green Machine have an outside chance of winning the league if they win their last two games, with big margins, and Dynamos draw against ZPC Kariba, and also lose their final game against How Mine.
CAPS United, who take on ZPC in their final game, will be eliminated from the title race if Saul Chaminuka and his men beat DeMbare in their next match at the National Sports Stadium.
But the Harare giants could still play a big hand, in the destiny of the title, by either beating ZPC Kariba or holding them to a draw, in their final game, which would then open a window for bitter rivals DeMbare.
Last year, CAPS United’s draw against Harare City, in the final game of the season, denied the Sunshine Boys a maiden league title and opened the door for a Dynamos triumph.
It was a very painful day, for some CAPS United fans, who cheered the Harare City goals as they could not stand the prospects of having their team helping their biggest rivals to win the league championship.
A Dynamos win at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, however, will end all these permutations and hand the Glamour Boys a fourth straight league title.
Mangwiro told The Herald yesterday that he wants his team to finish strongly and win their last two Premiership games and see where fate takes them at the end of the campaign.
The Green Machine sealed their place in the top four, and the Mbada Diamonds Cup, after an impressive 2-1 win over Buffaloes at Sakubva.
But Mangwiro said they wanted more than just finishing third and his men will fight to win their next two league matches.
“We never changed out target of the season and that was to improve from last season and I am happy that we managed to do that,” said Mangwiro.
“Last year we finished fifth, at 49 points, and this year we are third at 49 points (with two games still to play and six points to fight for).
“So, we will remain focused in our last two games. You never know with soccer, anything can happen, and we will keep on fighting hard to have a strong finish.
“We are not going to relax because we sealed a top four finish but it is going to encourage us to do well in our next fixtures as well.
“The game in Mutare had a lot of pressure and the boys worked hard and we came out with a positive result.”
This year, CAPS United have scored eight more goals, in 28 games, than they did in 30 games last season but they have also conceded 10 more goals.
Interestingly, ZPC Kariba is powered by a number of players who were part of the Green Machine last year.
Mangwiro said they lost a number of opportunties along the way.
“Of course, we had our problems and we also shot ourselves in the foot in some games which have come back to haunt us now,” said Mangwiro.
“There is a lot which needs to be done to become champions and that begins from management up to the last person who has anything to do with the team.”
With Chiredzi FC and Bantu Rovers already relegated, what remains to be seen are the two teams that will join them in Division One.
Shabanie are in real danger but they are not alone.
Online Reporter