Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira at Luveve Stadium
Bulawayo Chiefs 1-1 CAPS United
BULAWAYO Chiefs, who were without head coach, Thulani Sibanda survived a late CAPS United fight back as the two teams settled for a share of spoils yesterday afternoon.Sibanda missed the match owing to illness and his assistant Bekithemba Ndlovu took charge.
They had the best of starts to the game with Never Rauzhi breaking the deadlock in the third minute.
It was his sixth goal of the season.Makepekepe, coming from a draw against Dynamos over the weekend, levelled matters after the hour mark through a William Manondo header off a Bruce Kangwa cross on the left.
Stand in Bulawayo Chiefs coach Ndlovu, felt they should have won the game.
“We will take the draw, but l thought we should have won the game. We got chances in both the first and second half. I think we need to work more on our finishing in the coming days. Effort wise, l thought we were excellent,” said Ndlovu.
CAPS United coach, Llyod Chitembwe who has taken a stance to make his answers as short as possible said: “I thought the match was fair. I applaud the boys for their resilience, it was not easy to trail and go on to equalise and come out with a result. It is obviously disappointing to miss chances.”
Rauzhi had a chance of making it two for the home side after 32 minutes of play but his shot from outside the box went wide.
Moments later, Junior Bunjira managed to run behind the Chiefs defence on the blind side but his attempt from an awkward position went wide as well.
Chiefs were forced to make an early change with Panashe Shoko coming on to replace an injured Mpilwenhle Dube.
Amakhosi went into the break in the lead and in the second half, CAPS United came hard on them in search of the equaliser.
In the 57th minute, Wayne Makuva got a chance on the edge of the box but his curler went over the bar.At the stroke of the hour, Miguel Feldman tried to dribble in the box but was intercepted. The ball fell onto Rauzhi’s path but his shot was also blocked before Jameson Masaza’ rebound shot went over the bar.
It was in the 68th minute that the equaliser came for Makepekepe.Soon after Manondo’s equaliser, Chiefs made another injury inspired change with goalkeeper Prosper Matutu limping off the field of play and was replaced by Tatenda Ndlovu.
The change, however, delayed the resumption as Ndlovu had to change his socks, a move that riled CAPS United fans who cried over time wasting.With three minutes left of regulation time, Ralph Kawondera put a brilliant pass to Manondo but the latter missed an empty net, with his effort going wide.
Ndlovu made a point blank save to deny Manondo a minute later off a header from a cross in the left flank.In additional time, Rauzhi got a glorious chance, which he wasted. He got a through pass, beat a charging Tonderai Mateyaunga and was left with an empty net.
However, the striker took his time, failed to shoot and CAPS defenders re-grouped to block him and he lost possession.Rauzhi got another chance soon after but shot wide of goal.
Teams:
Bulawayo Chiefs
P Matutu (T Ndlovu 78 minutes), E Chikwende, N Masilela (M Sithole 67 mins), M Dube ( P Shoko 44mins), X Moyo, L Ndlela, N Rauzhi, M Feldman, M Hativagoni, G Muchenje, J Masaza
Caps United:
T Mateyaunga, H Chapusha, E Manokore, B Kangwa, G Muriwira, K Mureremba, R Kawondera, J Bunjira (T Matindife 55mins), W Makuva (P Bhamusi 67mins), R Chinyengetere, W Manondo
Online Reporter