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Tedious Manyepo : Sports Reporter
AGELESS CAPS United gunslinger Leonard Tsipa could become the first player since the turn of the century to bag the golden boot award twice if he wins the gong this year. The big striker won the top goal scorer award in 2004 when he netted 18 times as Charles Mhlauri’s men powered their way to the championship title.Tsipa has scored seven goals this season, just one shy of the leading scorer Gift Mbweti of Hwange ahead of the Week 22 fixtures but the CAPS United striker could capitalize on the latter’s one-game suspension and level or even eclipse him if he takes his scoring boots to Gibbo where they have a date with Triangle tomorrow.
The 35 year-old whose career has largely revolved around the Green Machine besides some brief stints in Serbia as well as with cross town rivals Dynamos, reaffirmed his intentions of reclaiming the prize which he last won over a decade ago when he scored a brace against Mutare City in his team’s 4-1 triumph over the Manicaland side.
However there is still a lot of confusion over who actually scored one of the goals which Tsipa was credited with last Saturday.
That goal came in the second half when midfield dynamo Joel Ngodzo lobbed over a badly positioned Mutare City keeper Victor Twaliki and the effort hit the underside of the crossbar before bouncing over the goal line.
Twaliki sheepishly punched the ball back into play apparently thinking that the referee had already blown for a CAPS United goal but somehow the match official seemed not to take his time to confirm the goal.
Amid the confusion, Tsipa latched onto the ball and sliced it into the back of the net to trigger wild celebrations from the fans.
It had appeared the goal had been credited to Ngodzo but PSL have since said the referee in his report gave it to Tsipa.
“According to the referee’s match report, a CAPS United player, Leonard Tsipa scored two goals in the match against Mutare City Rovers in a game that was played at the National Sports Stadium last weekend,” said Kenny Ndebele, PSL’s chief executive.
If indeed the goal was credited to Tsipa, then the Mbare born striker is well on course to make history if he maintains his goal scoring form.
With the departure of fellow striker Dominic Chungwa to a South African lower division team Bush Bucks, Tsipa now carries CAPS United’s goal scoring burden on his shoulders and the striker reckons he would not be under any pressure to deliver the goods as his teammates will compliment him as they have always been doing.
“I am eager to go all the way to win the top-scorer award. But one thing is for sure, I am not putting myself under pressure to win that gong. I am putting CAPS United before everything else.
“We have very high chances of winning the title this year so I cannot be selfish and try to bang goals even from difficult angles at the expense of my team,” said Tsipa.
The striker bemoaned the departure of his strike partner Chungwa but reckons the team have enough arsenal in their ranks to do the job.
He exuded confidence that his team will find a way to bag maximum points tomorrow against a Triangle side whom the Green Machine failed to beat in the reverse fixture in Harare early in the season.
“The game against Triangle will be very tough as they have proven to be our bogey side over the years.
“We played a goalless draw against them in Harare but now that we are fighting for the championship, I am very sure that we are going to beat them.
“CAPS United last won the league title long back and we are determined to see to it that we reclaim the glory,” he said.
Tsipa is the only member of the current Green Machine side who was in Mhlauri’s side that won back to back league titles in 2004 and 2005.
Coach Lloyd Chitembwe was still a player then and is also eager to capture the championship crown as a coach.
If CAPS United win the title, Tsipa will join Chitembwe as the only two players to have won the league title with the Harare side on three occasions.
Online Reporter