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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
A LOT has happened since CAPS United’s last visit to Sakubva where they capitulated at the hands of Mutare side Manica Diamonds in the Castle Lager Premiership football.
The Green Machine suffered their biggest loss in years when they lost 2-6 in that match.
In fact, they have failed to win at Sakubva this year, having been held by Black Rhinos in a 1-1 draw two weeks before their heavy defeat to Manica Diamonds.
But the Green Machine have since turned on the corner, going for four matches without a loss in the league after winning thrice and drawing once.
But, they will have to be at their best when they troop on the same Sakubva pitch to face an equally tricky opponent, Tenax, on Sunday.
Coach Lloyd Chitembwe acknowledged yesterday the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services team is unpredictable but reckoned they are not reading at what happened in the past.
“Coaches are not supporters, we don’t read into what happened in the past. This is Tenax that we are playing against, they are not Manica Diamonds, for starters,” said Chitembwe.
“Even when we played Manica Diamonds, we had only been together as a team for about six weeks,” said Chitembwe.
“Now we are a team playing with purpose and I believe we have gelled well.
“We can’t be under any pressure just because we are playing at Sakubva. That won’t be a factor for us. “Tenax is a different team, they have their own philosophy which is most probably different from that of Manica Diamonds.
“The match will be determined in 90 minutes but I am confident we will do well.
“Football is a game in which the better team, a team which has prepared well mentally, physically and psychologically wins.
“It is not a game in which a team believes what happened in the past will affect them, no.
“We will go out there, put in the work, fight and try to get the maximum points.”
Chitembwe is concerned with the absence of some of his key men, including Marshall Machazane and Ian Nyoni, through injury.
New boy Ben Musaka is also yet to fully recover from a knock which has forced him to delay his debut for Makepekepe.
Musaka is the third player fished by Chitembwe from his former club Harare City after the league’s leading scorer William Manondo and workhorse Tatenda Tavengwa.
“Well, every coach needs everyone available but injuries are some of those things that we cannot control.
“These guys are injured and they will miss the trip to Mutare but we will have to work out a winning formula without them.
“We have a group of determined and hard-working players, they have the zeal and the passion to play their hearts out. We believe those qualities will see us through.
“The players are showing their hunger for success at training and they are also playing well, improving in each game. We are taking it game by game and this time around we are focusing on the match against Tenax.
“It is far from an easy game; it is a match that we have to put in everything if we are to win.
“Our preparations are going on very well, we will see as the week progresses where we will be at the end. But basically we have to condition ourselves physically and mentally for the job coming on Sunday.”
With the transfer curtain coming down yesterday, Chitembwe said he is satisfied with the players he has brought aboard the Makepekepe ship.
The 2016 league title-winning coach has made several signings including Manondo, Tavengwa, Rodwell Chinyengetere, Kenneth Bulaji, Dennis Dauda, Devon Chafa and Musaka, among others.
“I am satisfied with the players I have in my camp right now. Today (yesterday) is the transfer deadline and I am not chasing any more signatures.
“I am happy with what I have now. The last signing we had was Musaka (Ben) and we are satisfied.
Online Reporter