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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
LLOYD Chitembwe is buzzing.
The CAPS United coach is a veteran of many Harare Derby battles against Dynamos both during his days as a player and now as a coach.
He leads the Green Machine into the opening chapter of the epic Harare Derby against DeMbare at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday. His team is in good shape.
They are leading the Castle Lager Premiership football standings with 12 points to their name after six games.
Makepekepe are playing some of the most entertaining games in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League to good effect too.
They are yet to taste defeat as yet this term.
And Chitembwe wants them to bring a total package in the derby whose cheapest ticket has been pegged at US$3.
“The difference between doing well in a big match and failing is obviously about merging performance with results.
“It’s important for us to perform well and get the result,” said Chitembwe.
“We will try to put together a good performance that will ultimately give us the result so that we get the whole package out of it.
“This is the focus and I am sure this is also the thinking around all of us.”
Although he admits derby matches have little to do with current form, he reckons the game against Dynamos on Sunday has come at the right time considering where Makepekepe are.
“I would say the derby has come at the right time considering our form.
“Derbies are usually not about form but the application on the day.
“Bragging rights obviously come after not during the game at least as far as we are concerned. “There are so many factors at play in a game of football. How you apply yourselves in the match matters at the end of the day but before that, it is about preparation.
“So for now we are working mainly on preparation so that come Sunday, we apply ourselves well in accordance with how we would have prepared.
“Bragging rights, yes, it’s one thing and I think it’s for supporters and for us, it’s about picking the points so that the fans can also enjoy.” Chitembwe’s charges are one of the best attacking teams thisa season, having scored six goals in as many matches and the former midfielder is happy with that ahead of the big showdown.
“We have done well offensively looking at the goal per match ratio. We have scored six goals in as many matches and that means, on average, we are scoring a goal per match.
“I don’t think it’s that bad. What concerns me as a coach is not scoring but good performance and winning matches.
“That’s very important. When the team performs well, you stand a very good chance of scoring and winning,” Chitembwe said.
“I am happy at the moment given we still have control over our own performance.
“I am very happy with our match winning ratio as well.
“Going into the derby with the consistency that we have had over the last six weeks is very significant I think. The form we are in gives credibility to the processes that we have had as a team.
“It gives reason for us to continue working hard and keep on getting the results.
“Winning is an indication of what the club is all about because obviously it is not easy to have a good team out of a bad club. Winning is an indication of what the club is doing.
“It is a good thing to have the club doing very well at the moment (ahead of the Harare Derby).
“The team is doing well simply because the club is also doing very well.
“As a team we have talked about what ought to be done. We know the areas we need to improve and those we need to consolidate”.
Online Reporter