adminNational Sports Stadium yesterday.
The goals failed to come by for Kawondera and fellow strikers at Makepekepe and they appeared to be starring relegation.
The Green Machine, however, is back and functioning and yesterday made it three successive league wins and four in all competitions, something that had become a rarity for them this year.
CAPS United who wasted a glut of chances in the opening period, left it until late as two goals in the last 10 minutes silenced a stubborn Blue Rangers.
Midfielder Hardlife Zvirekwi, got the opening goal in the 81st minute when he ghosted from the right flank to finish off a rebound from an effort by David Rediyoni on the opposite wing.
Five minutes later Kawondera sealed CAPS United’s win with former Gunners man Zvirekwi this time acting as provider, when he did some fancy footwork with the ball making his way into the box to send a fine delivery to the centre and the former Warriors striker scrambled the ball home.
Kawondera was overcome with emotion and in the heat of the moment he was about to remove his shirt before realisng the implications, and then chose to celebrate wildly with his teammates.
The dreadlocked forward who was playing in Cyprus before returning home joined the Green Machine as a free agent in July, and went on to feature in 11 league matches but still failed to find the target.
However, CAPS United survived a big scare, three minutes after the breather, when Blue Rangers thought they had found the opener, when striker David Temwanjira scored from a rebound after a free-kick by captain Nyasha Chazika but referee Luke Kunatsa ruled it for offside.
Blue Rangers goalkeeper’s coach Christopher Ndonya believes the disallowed goal was the turning point for the game which was still balanced and could have gone either way.
“The ball hit the cross bar and play was in front of everybody and our strikers went for the ball but fortunately for CAPS United, the referee denied the goal, but to us it was a goal. But the referee has the last say. That was the turning point and if it was allowed it could have been difficult for CAPS United.
“It was our game plan, we were sitting back and allowed them to come at us and when you look at the first 45 minutes they tried but they couldn’t penetrate our defence,” said Ndonya.
CAPS United assistant coach Mkhupali “Mr Cooper” Masuku said his charges are improving with each outing and creating more and more chances.
“Overall performance, I think we are improving with each game. And with Blue Rangers you could see from their attitude that they came for a draw.
“They parked the bus, but anyway its one of those games that even if you play badly, you could still win.
“If we were not creating chances we were going to be worried but we will keep on working in terms of creating chances,” said Masuku.
The match began with Makepekepe dominating but Rahman Kutsanzira, Ngobile Mpala, Zvirekwi and Pride Tafirenyika took turns to miss while Kutsanzira at times shot weakly at Rangers goalkeeper Pedzisai Gumiremhete.
It was the same tale in the second period and with CAPS United getting frustrated.
With some superstitious tendencies getting the better of Premiership clubs, a CAPS United ball boy went to the Rangers goalpost and poured some liquids in belief that they could undo some juju to allow his team to score.
It is just pathetic that even the future footballers are being misled into believing that matches can only be won through juju.
Teams:
CAPS United: I. Chiwara, T. Kumbuyani, B. Zabula, T. Munyanduri, A. Nhongo, T. Samanja, R. Kutsanzira, P. Tafirenyika(E. Gwekwerere 77th minute), H. Zvirekwi, L. Fiyado (D. Rediyoni 69th minute), N. Mpala(S. Kawondera 56th minute).
Blue Rangers: P. Gumiremhete, K. Mazhambe, N. Chazika, P. Marazanye, L. Mdluli, M. Motsi (T. Munetsi 90th minute), L. Mwashita, N. Mkwezvaramba, T. Muparaganda (C. Mwanjera 80th minute), D. Temwanjira.
Online Reporter