It’s EasyCall time

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United assistant coach Mark Mathe says the team’s play has transformed in a big way since the return of coach Lloyd Chitembwe who is more technically gifted and assertive than him and they are now bracing themselves up for the NetOne Easycall Cup quarter-finals challenge against Hwange at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.

The Green Machine recently found the going tough in the Chibuku Super Cup and were bundled out at the first hurdle by ZPC Kariba.

On that afternoon at Rufaro, CAPS United, still under the guidance of Mathe, lost 1-4 in the penalty-shoot out after they had settled for a 2-2 draw in the tension-filled match which saw ZPC Kariba snatching a late equaliser.

But Mathe, who has reverted back to his assistant coach position and speaking at the club’s weekly press briefing flanked by his boss Chitembwe and defender Justice Jangano, believes they would have no problems this time around as the team is now in the capable hands of Chitembwe.

“The team has changed especially in terms of character, me and Lloyd are very different. He is very assertive and very tough besides his tactical acumen.

“He insists on detail and hard work and it has helped these players as they look up to him as an icon. He has played in the national team and they work hard in front of him and it has helped the team and I always tell him that,” said Mathe.

The former Highlanders gaffer believes his players should not repeat the same mistakes they made in that previous Cup game against ZPC Kariba.

“The approach is the same but we will let the players aware that penalties are part of the game. When we rehearse penalties, we should take them seriously and when we get to that stage they should show a lot of character and tenacity. The approach is the same but there has been a warning out there not take them lightly,” said Mathe.

Since the bouncing back of Chitembwe in the CAPS United’s dressing room, there has been a feel good factor in the team, coupled with some good co-ordinated play but he (Chitembwe) said they haven’t achieved anything and will continue to work hard.

“Naturally, CAPS United is an ambitious football club so by virtue of being ambitious we want to do well virtually in each and every single game we play.

“We haven’t achieved anything and we are just trying to do what we are meant to do on the pitch and that itself is good enough to motivate us and push us.

“Of course it is going to be a very difficult game but we expect to be very competitive, we expect to be very professional in the way we play ourselves.

“We also expect to be very organised when playing this game because it is a game that we are also looking forward to try and obviously do well so that we progress to the next round,” said Chitembwe.

The former CAPS United tough tackling midfielder said their opponents Hwange are quite a formidable side.

“Of course there are no easy games especially when playing a team at the same level as you. So it is going to be a very difficult game. Hwange being Hwange, they are a very good team, obviously they have some good players and are also being coached by one of the national team coaches so we expect a very difficult and a very competitive match,” he said.

The former CAPS United midfielder believes his project “was still work in progress” and a good run in this top-eight Easycall Cup tournament will give them a yardstick of what they have achieved so far.

“I think it’s one step at a time and we are happy at this stage with the way the team is playing. We are happy with the way we are creating those (scoring) opportunities and like I have (just) said, it is still work in progress. I just hope one day we will come right and get there . . . so far so good.

“Trying to come up with a team that is formidable is part of the process and winning things always gives you a good feeling but it is a process, it is not something that can happen overnight. This competition will obviously serve that purpose of trying to come up with that team and we are happy with the progress.

“All teams are as good as we are, there are no easy teams in the PSL and we hope to fight and get the result we want,” said Chitembwe.

Meanwhile, CAPS United are at an advanced stage in their preparations for their corporate dinner to be held on November 27 in Harare. The club’s board member marketing, Alois Bunjira, said they are excited with the response they have received so far and encouraged more companies to engage them so that they understand how they can come into football in different ways.

He said they want to show the corporate world how they can improve and make money through the CAPS United brand by various presentations that would be done on the night.

The former CAPS United striker added that some of their partners like Oasis Water, who came on board this season, are already reaping the partnership’s fruits.