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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
LLOYD Chitembwe is happy with the way Harare City have picked up momentum in the Chibuku Super Cup after a number of in-house challenges, this year.
The Sunshine Boys returned from the Covid-19 induced break in top form and they have collected seven points from three matches.
They are now on the verge of sealing their quarter-final berth, needing just one point from the last two games.
They beat giants CAPS United and then outplayed Yadah before the weekend draw against ZPC Kariba at Baobab.
The 1-1 stalemate in the rescheduled fixture against the Kariba side cemented their place in Group One, after they took their points tally to 13.
Harare City had a slow start in the first round, and suffered several disruptions, because of player unrest in their camp, just before the resumption.
But, they have since ridden the storm and are now firm favourites for the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals despite trailing runaway leaders Dynamos by seven points.
The Glamour Boys are unbeaten in the group and have since secured one of the two quarter-final slots.
Chitembwe’s men are set to face bottom of the table side Herentals in their next match this Friday.
“We still need some points but we are looking at a much bigger picture,” he said after Sunday’s game.
“We want to try and win each and every single game that we play. This is the objective and I think it is very much achievable.
“Of course, looking at the remaining fixtures, we do respect the teams that we are going to play but, all the same, we have a huge responsibility in making sure we win those games,” said Chitembwe.
The Sunshine Boys recovered from a late first half penalty converted by Moses Demera.
Lively winger Clive Rupiya, who had also scored a brilliant long-range effort in the 3-1 win over Yadah in the previous match, grabbed the equaliser for the Sunshine Boys, on Sunday.
Rupiya is slowly transforming himself into one of the stars of the domestic Premiership.
“I am happy we managed to achieve one of the objectives, which was, obviously, getting a point,’’ said Chitembwe.
“But, I thought the performance, especially in the first half, was not good.
“I thought our attitude was a bit negative.
“We misplaced quite a number of passes. I think, generally, we were down in the first half and then after the pep talk, we did manage to push the boys in many aspects of the game.
“I am happy with the application, in the second half, we were much quicker than the first half. We showed a lot more aggression, in the second half.’’
Harare City are now five points ahead of the trio of ZPC Kariba, CAPS United and Yadah in Group One.
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