adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
HARARE giants CAPS United have this weekend opted to play their Premiership match against Hwange at Rufaro.
Makepekepe use the National Sports Stadium for their home matches but yesterday the club’s leadership thought they needed to experiment with Rurafo, which is more central and accessible to more supporters.
Although the move to Rufaro makes business sense, the Green Machine’s chief executive officer Cuthbert Chitima said they were not switching to the Mbare venue permanently.
“To be honest there is no special reason for the move. We just thought that we should play this particular game at Rufaro and in our letter to PSL, we made it very clear that it’s only for this game. Otherwise the National Sports Stadium remains our home ground,” said Chitima.
CAPS United have played at Rufaro twice this year.
They were the away team when they beat Dynamos 1-0 to break a seven-year jinx against their old city enemies in April.
But the last time Makepekepe played at Rufaro, they had to come from a two-goal deficit to force a draw against Sunday Chidzambwa’s ZPC Kariba.
In contrast, their record at the National Sports Stadium has been impressive.
They are yet to lose a match this year. Makepekepe have played five times at the giant facility this year and won four matches against Chapungu (3-0), Harare City (2-1), Border Strikers (1-0) and Bulawayo City (2-1).
The only time they dropped points at their home ground was in the goalless draw against David Mandigora’s Triangle.
CAPS United are looking to maintain their chase in the championship race where they occupy second place with 24 points from 11 starts.
Their 2-1 win over Bulawayo City last Sunday set them two points behind leaders Highlanders.
Makepekepe, however, will be without two key players — Ronald Pfumbidzayi and Kudzanayi Nyamupfukudza — who have been suspended after accumulating three yellow cards each.
Another midfielder Abbas Amidu, who has been invited for a one week trial stint with a Germany lower division club SSv Ulm 1846 Fussbal,l will also be missing .
Cross town rivals Dynamos are keeping their fingers crossed that talks with returning midfielder Denver Mukamba will be concluded in time for their next game against Bulawayo City.
The Harare giants are hoping to sign the midfielder as a free agent during the transfer window which opens tomorrow. Mukamba’s contract with Bidvest Wits expires today.
He has been training with Dynamos in recent weeks and has expressed willingness to return to the club that catapulted him to stardom five years ago.
His manager Gibson Mahachi said they were close to an agreement with the Glamour Boys.
“We have made huge progress and we are hoping by tomorrow (today) or Friday we could reach an agreement and then start talking about the contract.
“Afterwards he would need to have a reverse clearance from South Africa.
“If it happens that he gets a contract, that could probably be the only hiccup but, with the modern system being used, it’s something that can be done in one day if all the relevant people are in their offices and with all the requirements in place. So it all depends with the response, it could be two days, three days or even five days,” said Mahachi.
DeMbare are also set to wield the axe on a number of players this weekend when the transfer window opens.
Club chairman Kenny Mubaiwa said they “have lots of deadwood’’ in their ranks and are going to embark on a clear out.
“We are a big club and we are known for producing results, but that had not been happening and we need to revamp our squad by bringing in new players and release those who are under-performing.
“We cannot continue to have a big budget with no results. So we are going to sit down with the affected players and then give those guys their letters probably Friday (tomorrow) so that they can look for employment elsewhere,” said Mubaiwa.
Fixtures:
Friday
How Mine v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Luveve)
Saturday
ZPC Kariba v Chapungu (Nyamhunga), Bulawayo City v Dynamos (Barbourfields)
Sunday
Chicken Inn v Highlanders (Barbourfields), Border Strikers v Harare City (Dulivhadzimu), Triangle United v Tsholotsho (Gibbo), Mutare City Rovers v FC Platinum (Sakubva) CAPS United v Hwange (NSS)
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