adminTedious Manyepo : Sports Reporter
CAPS UNITED coach Lloyd Chitembwe has challenged his troops to keep cool heads and concentrate on posting consistent results rather than start thinking of winning the league title arguing that the race is still wide open. The Green Machine reduced the gap between them and leaders FC Platinum to within a point following their 2-1 victory against Triangle at Gibbo last Sunday.FC Platinum had been held to a 1-1 stalemate by fellow title contenders ZPC Kariba a day earlier.
Despite being a single point adrift of the Zvishavane side, CAPS United are hugely being primed to win the league title for the first time in 11 years.
But with 24 points still to play for in the race, Chitembwe wants his charges to focus on playing football on the pitch rather than to get carried away by the prospect of winning the big one.
“The race is still wide open and any team amongst the top six can win the title if they record good results in the remainder of the season.
“I am saying log leaders FC Platinum, Harare City, ZPC Kariba, Dynamos, Highlanders and us all have a chance of landing the crown.
“So as CAPS United we are not putting ourselves under any pressure looking beyond our games just because we have the chance to win the league. Yes we have that feeling but we know what it takes to be crowned champions of Zimbabwe.
“Of course we are one of those teams who have the chance of landing the title but see we are not the log leaders as yet. FC Platinum are leading the race and they can win the title by winning all their remaining games which they are capable of doing especially considering they are a good side with a good coach in Norman Mapeza.
“We will try our level best to win on our own and see what happens at the end of the marathon but obviously we also feel that our supporters want us to win the crown,” said Chitembwe.
CAPS United play reigning champions Chicken Inn on Sunday at the National Sports Stadium in a game which could shape their campaign going into the Premiership home stretch.
Makepekepe won the reverse encounter 2-1 in Bulawayo and will be looking forward to complete a double over the Gamecocks who will also be eager to bag the maximum points and liven their slender arithmetic chances of retaining the title.
But before the Gamecocks think of the assignment against CAPS United, they must this afternoon entertain Hwange in a rescheduled match set at Luveve.
The match was rescheduled to today as Chicken Inn had players away on national duty in Guinea.
Chicken Inn will be eager to collect the maximum points against Hwange to boost their confidence ahead of Sunday’s clash.
Hwange will this afternoon take to the field without their trusted gunslinger Gift Mbweti who is suspended.
Mbweti is the joint Premiership top scorer on eight goals along with CAPS United’s veteran striker Leonard Tsipa.
Chicken Inn will not have enough time to rest before taking to the road for a date against the Green Machine on Sunday.
“We respect Chicken Inn as a team and as the reigning champions. They are strong in all departments and we need to be at our best to beat them on Sunday.
“Like we have been doing, we take each game as it comes and it is my hope that we can come out with a good result on Sunday,” said Chitembwe.
Online Reporter