Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo in LILONGWE, Malawi
GOALKEEPER Wallace Magalane is hoping there won’t be another pandemic of the Covid-19 proportion as he looks to finally star for CAPS United.
Not that he failed when he first joined the Green Machine in 2020.
But after penning a two-year deal with the Harare giants, Covid-19 swept the world with literally everything, including life itself frozen.
With FC Platinum required to participate in the CAF Champions League, Magalane reached an agreement with CAPS United authorities to terminate his deal before he could even represent the giants even once.
Already with three Premier Soccer League titles under his belt with the Zvishavane miners, Magalane would add a fourth in the 2021-2022 season and also helped the team win the Chibuku Super Cup trophy.
After everything that had to be won at FC Platinum, the 32-year-old has now returned to Makepekepe where he hopes to give his all and help them win trophies.
The Plumtree-born ‘keeper is in Malawi on a pre-season tour with the Green Machine. And on Sunday he showed just how much his addition could do for the five-time league champions when he towered between the posts as Makepekepe beat Silver Strikers 1-0 in a friendly tie at Silver Stadium in Bwandilo Area 47.
“Basically, I have always wanted to play for CAPS United,” said Magalane.
“You must remember that in 2020, I actually signed a two-year deal with them.
“Unfortunately, there was this Covid-19 pandemic that meant football wouldn’t be played.
“FC Platinum, where I had been playing, were supposed to go and play in the CAF Champions League.
“That coincided with the return of coach Norman Mapeza from South Africa. So they needed me back at the team to play in the Champions League.
“I should salute CAPS United president Farai Jere for accepting the pleas from my side, and the contract with the club was terminated. That’s how I left the team and returned to FC Platinum.”
Magalane added: “For more reasons than one, I knew I had to come back to this team.
“I am happy I got this chance, and I want to add value to the team.
“CAPS United is a big brand and I am here to safeguard what they stand for.”
Magalane played as a regular at FC Platinum for just one season in 2022, and he was deservedly voted as one of the Soccer Stars of the Year at the end of that term, missing out on the Goalkeeper of the Year accolade by the slightest of margins.
But his quality has always been acknowledged by top coaches including Mapeza who spent over seven years with him.
“I want to work on consolidating my strengths,” he said.
“I think this pre-season tour in Malawi has given me just the kind of vitamins I have always wished for.
“It’s a good starting point just to have your teammates surrounding you every minute for two weeks in a foreign land is huge.
“The chemistry we are building is good, and I think we are already one big unit even now.
“The bonding is coming out well, and hopefully we will be able to deliver trophies as a team for the Green Machine.”
CAPS United will play their second of the double header friendly against Silver Strikers at the same venue tomorrow before they engage a yet-to-be-confirmed Malawian top-flight side in another sparring game on Sunday.
Makepekepe will also play UD Songo of Mozambique in Tete when they make a stopover in Tete on their way back home where they kick-start their 2026 PSL season with a date against newly-promoted Agama.
