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from gate receipts.
A total of 21 060 fans paid to watch the derby, where the cheapest ticket was pegged at US$5 and the match was also being screened live on SuperSport on a cold day in the capital.
Conservative estimates put the figure of the crowd at the National Sports Stadium between 25 000 and 30 000.
While the same crowd would have been accommodated at Rufaro, it would have turned into an organisational nightmare for the hosts and the security.
CAPS United grossed US$107 000, their biggest pay cheque for them for some time now, and this was an improvement from the US$98 000 receipted from the gates last year when 19 219 fans paid their way to watch the Harare Derby at the same venue.
The figure, however, failed to break the mark of 28 886 fans who came to Rufaro for the league clash between Dynamos and Highlanders at Rufaro when the championship was heading for a photo-finish last year.
The match grossed US$168 000.
Joe Makuvire, the CAPS United chief executive, said they were pleased with the turnout and could not have swapped the National Sports for any other venue in Zimbabwe.
“Basically, in football business terms, it was fine with us. I do not think that we could have got more people if we had used Rufaro because the venue has its own limitations.
“The National Sports Stadium has enough toilets and parking bays for cars while it’s easy to control the crowds.
“There is also a hospitality facility at the National Sports Stadium because we are trying to make football an event for the whole family.
“So people were not squeezed but had free space to sit,” said Makuvire.
CAPS United also announced they had signed Malawian striker Gerald Phiri from Mighty Wanderers but the teenager will have to wait a little longer before he can feature in the Castle Lager Premiership.
“He is 19-years-old and we are in the process of getting a work permit for him and I hope he could start playing after the mid-season window,” said Makuvire.
CAPS United coach, Taurai Mangwiro, said his team will fight another day following their latest loss at the hands of their rivals.
“We have to worker harder. In this match, the youngsters worked very hard and I would not want to discredit them. I thought they gave it a good fight. It was just not their day but it’s congratulations to Dynamos,” said Mangwiro.
“I noticed a lot of positives from the match, if we look at the way we finished the match, we were on the ascendency and that’s a sign of a good team.
“On another day we could have crumbled but we continued fighting until the end of the match.”
Last year CAPS crumbled and lost 0-3 to the same opponents at the same venue.
Mangwiro also chose the big match to field central midfielder Kelvin Bulaji, a player that had courted so much controversy over his move from Wielsaw Grabowski’s DT Africa United.
“He has shown some promise. I thought he gave us some depth when he came off the bench because he was holding to the ball and allowing others to open up.
“The future could be very bright for him,” said Mangwiro.
With a little bit of luck, CAPS United could have rescued a point but Tapiwa Khumbuyani’s injury time effort crashed on the upright post.
Defensive linkman Devon Chafa scored from the penalty spot in the 26th minute for the goal that made all the difference. The win on Sunday, meant that Dynamos have now won their last three matches on the run following victories over Monomotapa and Hwange at Rufaro.
Earlier in the season, swords had been sharpened for Callisto Pasuwa after Dynamos had drawn their opening league matches but now he believes the win over CAPS United should give a strong signal that the sleeping giant has awoken from the slumber.
“In the early matches people were criticising us for the draws but I told the boys that it was just a phase and it would pass,” said Pasuwa.
“It’s very good that we have won this derby and the plan now is to collect more points along the way. We are now in fourth position on the log but we want to push to second before mid-season,” said Pasuwa.
Tomorrow, Dynamos have a tough assignment against Harare City at Rufaro and Pasuwa has warned his charges against taking their opponents lightly.
Last year Harare City stunned DeMbare when Quinton Masika scored towards the end of the game.
“If you can look at their (Harare City) position on the log, we can see that they among the top teams.
“The fact that they went on a shopping spree during the off-season shows that Harare City want to be champions.
“I think they are turning out to be one of the biggest teams in Harare and this coming game is going to be another great derby again.
“So we need to have a positive mind when we go into the game,” said Pasuwa.
Fixtures
Week 11: Today: Shabanie v Black Rhinos (Maglas)
Tomorrow:
Dynamos v Harare City (Rufaro), Triangle v Motor Action (Gibbo), FC Platinum v Hwange (Mandava), Black Mambas v How Mine (Morris Depot), Chicken Inn v Buffaloes (Luveve)
Thursday: Monoz v Highlanders (Rufaro), Tripple B v CAPS United (Mandava)
Week 12
Saturday: How Mine v Chicken Inn (Barbourfields), Black Rhinos v Triangle (T.B.A), Motor Action v Dynamos (Rufaro)
Sunday: Highlanders v Black Mambas (Barbourfields), Buffaloes v Shabanie (Sakubva), Hwange v Monomotapa (Colliery), Harare City v Tripple (Rufaro), CAPS United v FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium)
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