dyton mupawaenda
Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS Utd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Cranborne Bullets . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe yesterday said the fatigue from a crammed fixtures programme was catching up with his players after the Harare giants were held by basement side Cranborne Bullets in a Castle Lager Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium.
Utility man Joseph Thulani, who wore the captain’s armband yesterday, rescued a point for the Green Machine shortly before the half time whistle as Makepekepe found themselves trailing to a 15th minute strike by Prince Mutasa.
The share of the spoils at the giant stadium spoiled Makepekepe’s purple patch, as the giants had won their last three games on the trot, beginning with a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Hwange before victories against Sheasham and Simba Bhora.
They also stormed the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals during the same period after dismissing fellow giants Highlanders at Barbourfields.
In total, they played six games in three weeks and Chitembwe yesterday felt his players could not perform to their best as the games have been packed too close to each other, resulting in fatigue building up.
“It was a decent performance, but we saw it coming. We had a very hectic four-week programme,” said Chitembwe after the game.
“In a space of about 13 days we have played four to five matches, and including travelling; imagine a trip to Hwange it took us about 1 700km and then we travelled to Bulawayo where we played Highlanders in the quarterfinals (of the Chibuku Super Cup) and it’s about 800km. We went to Gweru to play Yadah and it was about 500km.
“In-between there is training, there is recovery and that in itself brings about a lot of load into the team and some of these things, I can notice it was down to tiredness, but it’s expected,” said Chitembwe.
The point, however, was crucial for Makepekepe who now moved into the top eight of the log standings, having flirted with relegation for the better part of the second half of the season.
They made one change to the team that beat Simba Bhora 3-2 during the midweek, with William Manondo reclaiming his place in the starting lineup.
Manondo, who won the Golden Boot last season, however, has been a pale shadow of himself and yesterday was taken out at half time after struggling to establish himself.
Earlier on, referee Israel Nherera was unmoved by shouts for a penalty by the Green Machine after Phineas Bamusi fell inside the box under challenge from Cranborne Bullets defender Nigel Kupara.
Clear-cut scoring opportunities remained few and far between but Cranborne Bullets took the lead after 15 minutes when Mutasa buried a cross from Xavier Janatana.
Mutasa found himself unmarked in the box as Janatana made a spirited run down the right channel before he cut back the ball for his teammate, with CAPS United defenders lost at ssixes and sevens.
Bullets looked threatening going forward as Wellington Taderera and Kingsley Mureremba kept the home defenders on their toes.
Despite conceding early and trailing for the most part of the first half, Makepekepe enjoyed much of the possession but could not carve out clear cut chances.
The Green Machine looked lively on both wings as midfielders Godknows Murwira and Bamusi kept whipping in crosses into the Cranborne Bullets penalty box.
The Green Machine were rewarded shortly before the half time whistle when Thulani outjumped his marker inside the box and planted a header past goalkeeper Victor Javangwe.
They could have celebrated a second goal in the 53rd minute when their man of the moment Rodwell Chinyengetere’s reacted fast to a fine cross from Murwira and headed the ball past the goalkeeper but the far side assistant had his flag up.
Veteran coach Sammy Mavhenyengwa, who recently took over the reins at Bullets from Nesbert Saruchera, was distraught as chances of surviving relegation have become slim.
Teams:
CAPS Utd: A. Reyners, E. Manokore (B. Sarupinda, 46th minute), I. Zambezi, H. Chapusha, L. Mangayira, G. Murwira, D. Chafa (B. Musaka, 64th minute), J. Thulani, R. Chinyengetere (C. Sithole, 82nd minute), P. Bamusi (J. Daka, 64th minute), W. Manondo (B. J. Ngodzo, 46th minute)
Cranborne Bullets: V. Jabangwe, M. Mushangwe, N. Gurende, N. Kupara, A. Ngwena, S. Munhira, W. Taderera (B. Muzondiwa 64th minute), K. Mureremba (L. Daka, 64th minute), X. Janatana, P. Mutasa (A. Makuwerere, 72nd minute), M. Madzuka (Y. Mutembedze, 86th minute)
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