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Caps United also got their first goal of the season through open play when former Highlanders man Rahman Kutsanzira scored the priceless goal three minutes after the restart and sealed the deal for the team which has only managed two draws against Shabanie and Harare City and lost four matches.
Although the match was a dull encounter with Caps United missing a glut of chances, what mattered most at the end of day was that Makepekepe got the much needed victory and it was written all over the faces of players and fans.
The result meant a lot to Caps United who now believe that the dry spell is over going into the weekend’s tie against Blue Rangers.
Coach Sean Connor dedicated the victory to the club supporters.
“It means a lot to the supporters.
“We will just enjoy the three points and won’t look at how wasteful we were in front of goal. It always feels good when you win a match,” said Connor.
Caps United welfare manager Joel Luphahla said the result would go a long way in reviving the club’s fortunes.
“It was a morale booster for the players. We are very happy, we had to start somewhere and this is it.
“The players had done everything they could so lifting the coach was their way of celebrating.
“A team like CAPS United should be winning three or four against teams like Quelaton but results haven’t been coming.
“Today we had five or six players injured and we had to try some new combinations as you can see Rahman was playing behind the strikers,” said Luphahla.
Quelaton coach Farai Sibanda said his charges were unlucky to go back empty-handed.
“The result did not reflect our performance on the pitch. We created many chances but we could not utilise them and we got punished for that.
“The advantage is that Caps United was always first on the ball. The referee contributed to the result this afternoon as his decisions were always in favour of Caps United.
“We hope to pick up maximum points when we play Motor Action this weekend,” said Sibanda.
The match began with the Green Machine missing chances.
Kutsanzira wasted a chance when he received a fine delivery from Evans Gwekwerere but chose to dilly dally in the box.
A minute later, the midfielder latched onto a loose ball and his shot agonisingly went wide.
It seemed it was the same old tale for the hosts as the much sought after goal eluded them.
The visitors also had two clear chances in the first period and could have found the target first before the quarter of an hour mark when Mhleli Sibanda who was full of energy the whole afternoon was denied by the post.
At the stroke of half an hour Quelaton’s Amani Makiwa was unlucky when he chipped over Caps United goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda but somehow the ball missed the empty net and the Green Machine survived.
But Kutsanzira made things right immediately after the breather and his initial attempt appeared to have missed the target but somehow the goalkeeper parried back the ball into play and the midfielder made sure with his second attempt.
Caps United’s Marvel Samaneka was lucky to escape a second bookable offence on the one hour mark as the referee adjudged that he had dived into the box and was cautioned.
Caps United sought to increase their tally with Charles Chiutsa missing a free header in the 56th minute off a fine cross from Kutsanzira while Gwekwerere could not score with his chip over the goalkeeper going over the bar.
The hosts employed some time wasting tactics as they hung on for dear life but this could have backfired as Quelaton nearly equalised in the last minute.
TEAMS
Caps United: E. Sibanda, T. Khumbuyani, N. Mukumbi, D. Sengu, D. Walaza, T. Munyanduri, A. Nhongo, M. Samaneka (W. Pakamisa 63rd minute), C. Chiutsa (E. Chafungamoyo 57th minute), R. Kutsanzira, E. Gwekwerere.
Quelaton: W. Chiwetu, S. Dube, Z. Sibanda, J. Pongolani, E. Nkulungo, I. Kutsanzira, G. Mleya, M. Sibanda (T. Mugumanya 76th minute), A. Makiwa, M. Moyo (F. Nkomozana 66th minute), M. Phiri.
Online Reporter