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Tadious Manyepo, Sports Reporter
CAPS United…………….(3)3
Hwange………………………..0
CAPS UNITED roared back from last week’s disappointment with this emphatic Castle Lager Premiership victory over basement strugglers Hwange at Rufaro yesterday.
The Green Machine needed to respond to their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Highlanders last week.
And they did so in a rampant manner, putting Nation Dube and his boys to the sword in a dominant first half that left their fans believing this could just be the year they will taste league success for the first time since 2016.
Veteran striker William Manondo’s brace, sandwiched by Hastings Chapusha’s strike ensured the full points for Makepekepe.
With the competition in the league just too open, Makepekepe jumped from 13th to 7th on the log after taking their tally to 13 points, six behind leaders Highlanders.
CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe made some brave decisions starting youngsters Junior Bunjira and Kingsley Mureremba with the move proving to be just what the doctor had ordered.
Bunjira, who provided two assists at the same turf in Makepekepe’s 3-0 win over Greenfuel two weeks ago, was again in the thick of things flighting a perfect cross that was scrambled home by Manondo with 11 minutes on the clock.
He was again part of the process that produced Manondo’s second that came four minutes before the break when playing a one-two with Eric Manokore with the latter lofting the ball into the area for Manondo to head in.
With a quarter-of-an-hour played and CAPS United leading 1-0, Chapusha volleyed into the roof of the net coming to the end of a good corner kick taken by Godknows Murwira.
Chitembwe, who has masterminded three victories at Rufaro, with Makepekepe able to score three goals in each of those ties, said his team’s ability to score made the difference.
“It was a good game from both sides but we got an edge by being able to convert our chances,” said Chitembwe.
“Fopotball becomes easy when you are able to score goals like was the case today (yesterday).
“I am really happy but obviously we need to be consistent. The guys implemented the game-plan well and I am very happy.”
Yet Hwange should have broken the ice inside the opening five minutes but after shruggling off Makepekepe defence, Prosper Mathe was hesitant for too long allowing Manokore to recover and clear the lines.
And once they failed to be decisive in opposition box, Hwange began to crumble.
With their defence in sixes and sevens, CAPS United started to enjoy every moment they had the ball in the attacking third and they could have scored more than just three goals without the brilliance of Hwange goalkeeper Bekimpilo Ncube.
Dube, whose job hangs in the balance after nine games without a victory, blamed it all on his shacky defence.
With captain Kelly Shiyandindi deployed to contain Bunjira on the left, Lukas Sibanda was the lone man in the middle of Dube’s three men defence, and was badly exposed.
“We conceded too easy goals,” said Dube.
“We played well but our defence failed to deal with those crosses.
“We could have picked a much more positive result had we been solid at the back.
“We shuffled things around at the back and it worked in the second half.”
Teams
CAPS United
Tonderayi Mateyaunga, Hastings Chapusha, Eric Manokore, Bruce Kangwa, Godknows Murwira, Kingsley Mureremba, William Manondo (Jayden Bakari 85min), Junior Bunjira (Tendai Matindife 78min), Wayne Makuva(Blessing Sarupinda 85min, Rodwell Chinyengetere(Innocent Zambezi 85min), Ralph Kawondera (Courage Sithole 67min)
Hwange
Bhekimpilo Ncube, Jofias Mumpande, Kelly Shiyandindi, Lukas Sibanda (Tawanda Shenje 50min), Sebastian Moyo, Pritchard Mpelele, Tendai Muvuti( Marceline Mlilo 64min), Solomon Sithole (Blessing Ngoma 50min), Shephard Gadzikwa, Stephen Muvirimi (Mongameli Tshuma 64min), Prosper Mathe
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