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Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
HWANGE coach Nation Dube has warned CAPS United to brace for a tough time when the Premiership log leaders make their first trip to the capital this season.
The coalminers, currently on top of the log standings on superior goal difference, were yet to travel to Harare to face CAPS United, Dynamos and Harare City.
But on Sunday they will date the Green Machine not only seeking to maintain their lead, but aiming to end CAPS United’s unbeaten run at the National Sports Stadium this year.
Although he warned Makepekepe of a tough afternoon, Dube, as he often does before matches, was also taking a cautious approach.
Hwange are also hoping to bounce back after suffering a surprise home defeat when unpredictable Chicken Inn beat them 1-0 at the Colliery last weekend.
Dube also said they were to do well whether they are at home or away and would want to return home with something from their first trip to Harare this season.
They have already beaten champions Dynamos at the Colliery.
“It is a tough match and it’s tricky. We are coming from a defeat and we are trying to pick our pieces. It would be a difficult game but we will try to get a positive result.
“It would be two teams fighting, we are at the top but the only difference between us is two points and the team which wins the match will have more points so it would be a difficult game,” Dube said.
The former Hwange midfielder has also been impressed by his team’s positive start to the season in which they have won six, drawn four and lost twice.
Hwange traditionally struggle and end up having to fight for survival. He believes this sort of start if maintained may see his charges getting something at the end of the season. Dube’s CAPS United counterpart Taurai Mangwiro, however, said they were not reading much into Hwange’s bright start to the season insisting that their focus was more on keeping pace with the leading pack.
CAPS United have roared back into the top five after posting two good results against Shabanie Mine and Chiredzi FC.
Their 2-0 win over Moses Chunga’s Chiredzi was CAPS United’s first triumph away from home and Mangwiro now wants his team to keep that momentum.
“We are not fazed by the fact that we are playing log leaders. If anything we know we have a proud home record and have to be at our best.
“We don’t want to put ourselves under pressure going into the match, but we also want to keep our home record intact. We have a full complement of our squad except for Pfumbidzayi (Ronald) who is still nursing a groin injury and Gerald (Phiri) who is away in South Africa for trials with SuperSport,” Mangwiro said.
The coach was also left satisfied at the weekend after his team managed to win outside the capital.
“It was not an easy game and we had to dig deep and we are happy we managed to put away our poor away record and we now need to keep the momentum. The nearer we are to the top teams than the bottom teams the better,” said Mangwiro.
Resurgent Harare City will also be home when they receive Shabanie at Rufaro on Saturday and their coach Bigboy Mawiwi yesterday said he was happy with the progress the Sunshine Boys are making.
“I am happy with the confidence of the team now and we were just unfortunate at the weekend that we didn’t collect maximum points.
“We are not taking Shabanie for granted for they are a good side, but we also hope to collect maximum points here,” said Mawiwi.
Fixtures
Saturday: FC Platinum v Bantu Rovers FC (Mandava 3pm SS), ZPC Kariba v Chiredzi FC (Gwanzura), Harare City v Shabanie Mine (Rufaro), Chicken Inn v Dynamos (Barbourfields).
Sunday: Triangle United v How Mine (Gibbo, 1300hrs SS), Highlanders v Black Rhinos (Barbourfields), Buffaloes v Chapungu (Sakubva), CAPS United v Hwange (National Sports Stadium).
Online Reporter