Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FORMER Cup Kings CAPS United believe the Chibuku Super Cup offers them an ideal opportunity to salvage a season that promised so much but has so far delivered very little.
CAPS United had been among the pre-season favourites for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship, which they last won in 2016.
And they lived to that billing, leading for much of the first 14 match-days.
But the wheels somehow came off their campaign and have now fallen out of the league title race.
This has left coach Takesure Chiragwi and his men to seek some solace from the knock-out competitions, which include the ZIFA Munhumutapa Cup and the Chibuku Super Cup.
Makepekepe were handed a tough first-round assignment in yesterday’s Chibuku Super Cup draw after being paired with Simba Bhora.
The Green Machine will enjoy home advantage after entering the draw as one of the eight seeded teams, courtesy of their impressive performances during the first half of the 2026 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
CAPS United chief executive officer Morton Dodzo reckoned the club’s league title aspirations have been severely dented by a recent run of poor results, making the Chibuku Super Cup an important target.
Dodzo said the club was unfazed by the prospect of facing Simba Bhora.
“When you enter into a draw, you expect to play any team. So, it’s a fair draw, and I think it’s going to be an exciting match,” he said.
“We are very happy that this tournament will provide an opportunity for CAPS United to appease our fans. We had very high expectations when we started the season, and we still want to do well.
“So, this is an opportunity for us. We promise our fans, all the stakeholders, and the investors that we are going to do well in this tournament. From here, we focus on the preparations,” said Dodzo.
However, the Chibuku Super Cup has not been a happy hunting ground for the Green Machine.
The former Cup Kings have struggled to establish themselves in this competition since its launch in 2014. Their best performance was a semi-final finish in 2023 when they lost 2-0 to bitter rivals Dynamos.
Last year, Makepekepe were eliminated in the first-round after losing to MWOS.
CAPS United are also aiming for the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup, as they kick off their campaign in the country’s new premier cup competition against Scottland Academy at Baobab this Sunday, before embarking on the Chibuku Super Cup the following week.
Ambitious newboys Hardrock are also looking to make an impression in their first season.
Hardrock are in the running for the league title and also fancy their chances of mounting a serious challenge in the Chibuku Super Cup after being drawn against 2022 winners Bulawayo Chiefs.
Hardrock chairman Wellington Mpandare told journalists that they are looking forward to their campaign.
“It’s a tricky situation,” said Mpandare.
“There is no small team, especially in this kind of draw, where all teams that are involved are in the PSL. These are one-off games, and facing Bulawayo Chiefs is not easy at all.
“Of course, we beat them at Barbourfields, but remember we are still to play them in the reverse league game at Chahwanda, and then in the Chibuku Super Cup.
“It’s never easy, but we have a team that can compete with any team in the league, and obviously, we look forward to the game,” said Mpandare.
The 2022 runners up Herentals are aiming to turn back the hand of time when they begin their campaign against newboys FC Hunters.
Herentals need to bounce back strongly after they failed to go past the first round of the competition last season were knocked out in the first-round last year.
Club secretary-general Fainos Madhumbu said they harbour big ambitions.
“We promise to give our all so that we progress from the first round, considering we did not do well in the last edition.
“So, the target this year is to improve. We are looking forward to a good start against Hunters, and then we will take it up from there,” said Madhumbu.
ZPC Kariba will also be looking to make its mark after years of struggles in this competition. The furthest that ZPC Kariba have progressed was reaching the semi-finals six years ago when they were booted out by Highlanders.
They face a huge stumbling block in Ngezi Platinum Stars, but team secretary Robert Mamvura was bullish.
“We are not here to make up the numbers. We are there to compete; we are equally good. So, it’s game on,” he said yesterday.
“We know Ngezi Platinum Stars are very competitive. They are our neighbours, so it’s more of a local derby. We also acknowledge that the Chibuku Super Cup has been elusive for us, and we have impressed it upon our coaches that this year we have two knockout tournaments, which we have to excel in and make a name for ourselves,” said Mamvura.
The first-round matches are scheduled for the weekend of August 15-16, while the quarter-finals will be played on September 12-13. The semi-finals are set for October 31-November 1, with the final pencilled in for November 28.
The winners will pocket US$75 000.
Defending champions Dynamos were handed what appears to be a favourable opening fixture after being drawn against either Triangle or TelOne, who must play a preliminary round tie this afternoon.
Chibuku Super Cup Preliminary round:
Today: TelOne v Triangle (Mandava, 1pm), Agama v Manica Diamonds (Ngoni, 1pm)
First round draw
Scottland v FC Platinum, Hardrock v Bulawayo Chiefs
CAPS Utd v Simba Bhora, Dynamos v Triangle/TelOne
Herentals v FC Hunters, Ngezi Platinum Stars v ZPC Kariba, MWOS v Agama/Manica Diamonds, Highlanders v Chicken Inn
