dyton mupawaenda
Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
CHIBUKU Super Cup’s all-time top goal-scorer William Manondo is one of the CAPS United’s key men to fall under the spotlight this Sunday as the Green Machine battle bitter rivals Dynamos in a hugely anticipated semi-final clash at the National Sports Stadium.
Manondo carries the distinction as the tournament’s all-time top scorer after bagging 28 goals in the nine editions since its inception in 2014.
But the 32 year-old has endured an unpleasant goal drought both in league and cup competitions this season.
From winning the Golden Boot last season, he has suddenly gone off the radar.
The forward has had a subdued outing in this year’s campaign as he cannot replicate the form that won him the Top Goal Scorer as well as the Soccer Star of the Year runner-up accolades last year.
Manondo has however, found most of his success in the Chibuku Super Cup, winning it twice with Harare City and featuring in two finals, apart from being the all-time leading scorer.
But his recent flirtation in the tournament has not yielded much. He did not score a goal in his first season with Makepekepe last season as the Green Machine were eliminated in the first round after losing 1-0 to Black Rhinos.
He is also yet to find the target in the current campaign.
Clive Rupiya scored the only goal that earned them a quarter-final spot against Highlanders earlier this year.
CAPS United then reached the semi-finals after edging giants Highlanders 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out. The old rivals had played a goalless draw in regulation time.
Manondo missed the match due to national team duty as he was part of the Warriors squad that travelled to Botswana for the neighbouring country’s Independence celebrations football match.
As they come up against the Glamour Boys on Sunday, Manondo will be one of the most successful players on show, having led Harare City to two titles in 2015 and 2017 and featuring in the 2014 and 2018 finals.
“I won two titles with Harare City and played in two other finals, I think that is now water under the bridge,” said Manondo.
CAPS United need more than just a big performance in the semi-finals against bitter rivals Dynamos to salvage their faltering season.
Makepekepe, in their own admission, have had “a terrible” outing in 2023, a campaign during which they have spent most of the time fighting to get out of the bottom half of the table than they had in the top eight.
But CAPS United find themselves two games away from changing the script, if they find their mojo. It has not been a smooth ride, especially in the league marathon, and the struggles that Makepekepe have faced this season, have reflected accurately on one of their key men, Manondo.
Makepekepe progressed to the quarter-final after beating Hwange in the last 16. But they have a poor record in the Chibuku Super Cup, in which they only managed to go past the quarter-final stage once, in 2018, before losing to Harare City in the last four.
Historically, they have struggled to go beyond the first round. This year’s Chibuku Super Cup tournament has coincided with a troubled league campaign, in which they find themselves closer to the relegation zone than they are to the team at the top.
Online Reporter