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Augustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United have been tempted to believe that they have an outside chance of laying their hands on the Castle Lager Premiership title and their resilience will be put to test this afternoon at Morris Depot.The Green Machine march into battle without in-form midfielder Tendai Samanja for the clash against Black Mambas.
Samanja has been the lighthouse in CAPS United’s last back-to-back victories over Chicken Inn but the dreadlocked midfielder has been ruled out after picking up three yellow cards.
The former Monoz midfielder picked up the latest caution during the mid-week match against the Gamecocks at the National Sports Stadium as they puffed and groaned to a 2-1 victory.
The Green Machine are in fifth place and five points shy of pacesetters Highlanders who are on 44 points. Another win for CAPS this afternoon will see them maintaining the heat on the title favourites Bosso, DeMbare, Harare City and FC Platinum.
In the reverse fixture at Gwanzura, Dominic Chungwa struck a hat-trick while Leonard Fiyado weighed in with a goal as Honey Chimitimunzeve pulled a consolation for the police side.
CAPS United will also be missing attacking midfielder Moses Muchenje who picked up an injury on the right knee during the mid-week game but assistant coach Saul Chaminuka remains upbeat on their chances of stalking the leading pack.
“We are missing Tendai Samanja because of suspension and there is also Moses who picked up an injury. There is also Arnold Chivheya who was injured in the game at Ascot and he is yet to recover,” said Chaminuka.
In the absence of the three key players, Chaminuka hopes CAPS will be able to field able replacements.
“We have a large squad and we should be able to fill those places. In Samanja’s place, we could use Dominic Mukandi or Brian Mapfumo who both can play as defensive midfielders.
“I think we are going for maximum points at all costs. The league race is open and we have to keep getting points, including from the game against Black Mambas,” said Chaminuka.
CAPS United are likely to retain the bulk of the players who have featured in the recent matches with Tafadzwa Dube in goals while Ronald Pfumbidzai and skipper Tapiwa Khumbuyani could be used as the wingbacks.
Stephen Makatuka and Tawanda Munyanduri will form the central defence with either Mapfumo or Mukandi playing ahead while the bustling Tawanda Nyamandwe and Chungwa would be thrown into the fray as Benson Maglas also makes a return.
But Black Mambas coach John “Toto” Ncube is not ready to donate points as his side are not safe from relegation. Over the last years, Warumwa Warumwa have mastered the art of dodging the axe and they showed that character during mid-week when they held Harare City at Rufaro.
Ncube, a former Blackpool player, said he is not unnerved at facing a rejuvenated CAPS United.
“CAPS United are playing some good football at the moment but we have done everything to prepare well for this match,” said Ncube.
Ncube will be handicapped by the absence of former CAPS United striker Evans Gwekwerere, a player whose career failed to blossom to the full potential.
“Gwekwerere is out of this game because he was injured during training on Tuesday and that is why he missed the mid-week game.
“But we are still in danger of relegation and we have to get out of that by picking up points,” said Ncube.
Ncube is hopeful that the police force will have a lot of fans in their corner to drown the travelling Green Army.
“They beat us the last time but now we are home and have nothing to fear,” he said.
Early in the season, Mambas started brightly and at one time they were among the top five clubs but now they are among the bottom five.
“We started well and at some point we were in the top three but our players do not have the resilience yet we have mature people in our squad,” said Ncube.
Online Reporter