Online Reporter
Bruce Chikuni
Sports Reporter
WHAT a horrible weekend for the traditional Big Three.
CAPS United coach and Highlanders followed the path, which was taken by Dynamos on Saturday, as they lost their Castle Lager Premiership matches at home yesterday.
The Green Machine crashed to a 1-3 defeat at the hands of champions Simba Bhora while Bosso were beaten 0-1 at home by in-form Herentals.
It was Highlanders’ second loss on the bounce.
CAPS United coach Ian Bakala says he is surprised that most of his players are not fit to play 90 minutes following their loss at Rufaro.
This was Simba Bhora’s first win at Rufaro this season after three failed attempts against Dynamos (twice) and Scottland.
Midfielder Emmanuel Ziocha scored the third goal in the second half after first half goals from Barnabas Mtuche and Donald Mudadi.
Junior Bunjira reduced the deficit with a beauty which gave Simba Bhora ‘keeper, William Thole, no chance.
Makepekepe were punished from two dreadful errors which left Bakala convinced that his troops are not physically fit to concentrate.
“A big team like CAPS United should never concede goals in the manner that we did and it is unacceptable. It is something which we are going to work on.
“I expect players to be fit at this stage of the season. The way our players were collapsing and losing concentration at critical moments is something which is not okay,” said Bakala.
His counterpart Joel Luphahla was a relieved man.
“We came into this match having lost three times at Rufaro and it was giving us difficult moments but I’m happy the boys did well to get us the points.
“It’s also good that we have midfielders who are capable of scoring and it helps us when our strikers are not coming to the party as you saw we got all our goals from our midfielders.
“Simba Bhora won the championship last season and the target is to try and replicate what was achieved which is not easy but we are proud the boys are showing the hunger,” said Lupahla.
Simba Bhora are now just two points behind leaders MWOS.
CAPS United have managed 10 points in 13 attempts and they are just three points above Kwekwe United who are at the bottom of the league table.
