admin
Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
CAPS UNITED captain Tapiwa Khumbuyani is singing from his coach’s hymn book and want the Green Machine to end the season with a flourish.
The four-time league champions have punched above their weight this season, despite financial challenges that have stalked them, and have a mathematical chance of winning the league title this year.
They face Harare City in their penultimate game of the season, before closing their league season with a date against ZPC Kariba.
CAPS United have already booked their place in the Mbada Diamonds Cup, quite an achievement for players who have not been paid winning bonuses for six games and who are still waiting for their salaries for October.
Yesterday, the players raised their concern, over the outstanding winning bonuses owed by the club, and yet another delay in the payment of their monthly salaries.
Coach Taurai Mangwiro wants his men to look at the bigger picture and just win their final two home games and see where it takes them at the end of the season.
It’s very likely that a number of CAPS United players might decide against staying at the club next season and the irony of it all is that ZPC Kariba, who have launched a campaign for the championship that has captured the imagination of the nation, have built the soul of their team from players who left the Green Machine.
Their coach, Saul Chaminuka, also left CAPS United at the beginning of the season saying that he wanted to seek greener pastures.
One can only wonder how strong the Green Machine would have been this year if they had retained the core of the men who have turned ZPC Kariba into such a strong side capable of fighting for the league championship.
Khumbuyani said it was refreshing that they managed to beat Buffaloes, in their last match, at Sakubva, which opened a small window for them to squeeze into the championship race once again.
But CAPS know that they are too reliant on others, and fate, for them to begin believing that they will end nine years of waiting for the league title.
They don’t only need to win their last two league games but need results, elsewhere, to go their way.
CAPS United need Dynamos and ZPC Kariba to draw their game on Saturday and then hope that the Glamour Boys lose their final home tie against How Mine for them to win the league title on goal difference.
A ZPC Kariba victory on Saturday, or a win by the Glamour Boys, will elbow the Green Machine out of the race.
“It is good that we have returned to winning ways and I hope we continue with the fine form until the end,” said Khumbuyani.
“We are preparing well for the coming games and we hope to do well, winning in Mutare brought back the confidence to the players and we are geared up for the next assignments.
“Everyone is working hard at training and looking forward to our game against Harare City which we need to win.
“We know they are fighting relegation and they will come out well prepared.”
The Green Machine will face a Harare City side that is not safe from relegation after a poor run of results, in recent weeks, having started strongly since the appointment of Masimba Manyero as coach.
Two teams — Chiredzi and Bantu Rovers — have already been relegated.
Online Reporter