Masomere aims at CAPS

Paul Mundandi in ZVISHAVANE
SHABANIE Mine coach Luke Masomere has promised CAPS United a tough encounter at Maglas tomorrow declaring he is ready to drill more holes in the Green Machine’s flatering Castle Lager Premiership championship campaign.
CAPS United have just picked one point, in their last two league matches, losing the Harare Derby and then being held 1-1 by Triangle.
Masomere wants to hand them a second loss in three league matches.

“We want to win the match because I am taking it as a decider. If we win I will declare my team safe from relegation but if we lose we will live to fight another day though my wish is to win the game to confirm our league status,” said the coach.

“Every time we play CAPS United there are fireworks and my hope is that the players that I am going to field will carry the day for me.
“I worked with Mangwiro (Taurayi) and I respect him. I respect all the coaches and players in the Premiership. They are skilled, my players might not be so skilled but they are hard workers who play as a team and that is the weapon that I bank on.”

Masomere says his team’s 0-3 thrashing, at the hands of Chicken Inn in a Mbada Diamonds Cup tie at Mandava last weekend, was now water under the bridge.

Shabanie were brought back to earth, after touching the heavens of winning the BancABC Sup8r Cup, with that big loss at the hands of Chicken Inn.

On Wednesday they snatched a point at the hands of Harare City in the capital.
Tomorrow, Masomere goes into battle without the services of the injured Caleb Masocha, Pervington Zimunya, Peter Muzondo, Erea Phiri and Farai Mususunye.

Norman Maroto, who is reviving his career at the miners, is likely to be given a chance to prove himself.
Talbott Mtombeni, a former Pamushana High student, will also be looking forward to make an impact in the squad that boasts of experienced players like the impressive Tafadzwa Mombeshora, Philip Sithole, Valentine Ndaba, Smart Muchabayiwa, Frankson Bushire and Fungai Chirinda.

CAPS United will be missing the services of Tafadzwa Mahori who was sent off in the game against Triangle on Wednesday.
The Harare side will, however, bank on the experience of Tafadzwa Dube, Arnold Chivheya, Tawanda Nyamandwe, Rahman Kutsanzira, Hardlife Zvirekwi and Tapiwa Kumbuyani.

In their last meeting in Harare, Shabanie won the match 3-2 with Masocha scoring a brace and Mususunye grabbing the winner.
Reports yesterday claimed there was discontent in the Green Machine camp with Mangwiro saying he was getting little support, from the team’s administrators, to keep the players focussed on their bid to win the championship.

Mangwiro said he did not expect his team to mount a challenge for the championship because of the challenges that they face in their camp.
Masomere urged his team’s fans to come in numbers and fill Maglas to capacity.

“I am appealing to fans to come in numbers but they must be disciplined because the law says they must not scale the fence and throw missiles when the referee gives a decision against us,” said Masomere.

“We have developed a culture of paying a fine every week and that must end with immediate effect as we need the money.
“The police must also play their part. We had around 80 police details when we played the BancABC Sup8r Cup final but what happens is that some came and started to watch football and there were problems and in the end we get fined.

“The policemen must face the crowd like what happens in the United Kingdom.
“They must face the fans and weed out the culprits.

“CAPS United fans threw cabbages (onto the field in the Harare Derby) but noone was arrested and that does not make sense.”
Shabanie are still to get their BancABC Sup8r Cup prize money.

They did not get the cash last week as the PSL chief executive Kennedy Ndebele was in South Africa on business.
The social media forums have been pregnant with rumours that the Shabanie executive goobled the entire prize money and gave the players only US$100 each for winning the tournament.

“We are likely to receive the money on Tuesday or Wednesday and I just want to advise our fans and sponsors to ignore unofficial statements on Facebook,” said Nephiel Rugara, the Shabanie chairman.