Makepekepe edge closer to safety

Tadious Manyepo

Zimpapers Sports Hub

CAPS United took a major step toward securing their Premiership survival after edging Manica Diamonds 1-0 in a tense clash at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.

Their Congolese striker Chris Mugalu delivered the all important goal five minutes after the hour mark, tapping in from close range after a well-l worked move involving Ishmael Wadi. The win lifted the Green Machine to 38 points, four clear of Dynamos, who currently occupy the final relegation place.

With both teams desperate to steer clear of danger, the match was played at a frenetic pace.

Manica Diamonds dominated the early exchanges, controlling the midfield through Anelka Chivandire, Clive Dzingai, and Bret Amidu. But despite their neat passing, the Mutare side failed to make their superiority count, with Fortune Binzi and Evans Katema missing chances that could have changed the story.

Makepekepe struggled to impose themselves early on, managing no shot on target in the opening half. Coach Ian Bakala was forced to shuffle his pack, moving Chinga Chitoshi into a defensive midfield role and dropping Brian Kadamanja deeper after seeing his team repeatedly overrun.

The tactical tweak paid off. Twenty minutes into the second half, Wadi squared a low cross from the right, and Mugalu made no mistake.

“It was a crucial game for us,” said Bakala.

“At the end of the day, we only needed the three points, and the players delivered. We didn’t play well in the first half, but we had to adjust because of injuries. We’ve got four or five players out, so we had to improvise. But the spirit was good, and I’m happy we collected the points. Everything else we leave to God as we focus on the next game.”

The win marked CAPS United’s second in a row after beating Simba Bhora by the same margin two weeks ago. For Bakala, the momentum could prove vital in their fight to stay up.

“I’ll only be happy when we’re fully safe,” he added. “But right now, I’m proud of how the boys are responding.”

For Manica Diamonds coach Tafadzwa Mashiri, the result was a bitter pill to swallow. His team matched their hosts in every department and created more chances but still walked away empty handed.

“In terms of performance, we did well,” said Mashiri. “We controlled most phases of the game and dictated the tempo. We just couldn’t convert our chances, and we lost it on transition. We were punished because we weren’t organized enough defensively. A draw would have been massive for us, but that’s football. We go back, fix our attack, and work on our transitions.”

Manica Diamonds’ best early chance came when Fortune Bonzo’s deflected effort looked destined for goal, but CAPS goalkeeper Stephen Kwaku reacted sharply to collect. Later, Wadi almost punished the visitors, only for his heavy first touch to let him down after a fine Junior Bunjira cutback.

Binzi also spurned a golden opportunity moments before Mugalu’s strike, and after the breakthrough, the Mutare side tried to respond but found Kwaku in commanding form. The result leaves Manica Diamonds level on 34 points with Dynamos and just one place above the relegation line, with three matches remaining.