admin19 following revelations that he will miss the 68th edition of the popular Premiership showdown because he is at Moroka Swallows in South Africa.
Dynamos and CAPS United will square off again at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, with either side eager for a victory, that will not only help them improve their points tally but appease their restless fans.
The Green Machine appear resigned to losing Mapemba and, last night, club director Farai Jere announced that they had signed another Warriors’ defender, Tapiwa Khumbuyani, from Blue Ribbon.
Khumbuyani, who is comfortable either at right back or in midfield, was part of Norman Mapeza’s 18-man squad for the Warriors’ battle against Mali, which Zimbabwe won 2-1 at Rufaro last month.
Interestingly, Mapeza preferred Mapemba in the right back position in that game with Khumbuyani providing cover.
Mapemba was one of Zimbabwe’s outstanding players against Mali, turning back the hands of time to the 2009 Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup tournament where he emerged as one of the star performers.
The wingback played in the reverse fixture between the Dynamos and CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium, which Dynamos won 1-0 via a Tawanda Muparati late strike.
It has now emerged that Mapemba is on the verge of sealing a move to the South African Premiership after impressing Moroka Swallows’ coach Gordon Igesund.
Mapemba first tried his luck at another South African top-flight side Platinum Stars but it is at the Dube Birds, as Swallows are popularly known, where the Warriors defender now looks set to ink a deal.
He turned on a five-star show in a pre-season four-team tournament that also included SuperSport United and Platinum Stars.
Moroka Swallows are understood to be finalising a deal to snap up the 25-year-old defender, which could see Mapemba joining former CAPS United teammate Oscar Machapa at the Johannesburg club by the end of this week.
With the player is still holed up in Johannesburg, CAPS United have resigned to preparing for the showdown with Dynamos without Mapemba and club chief executive Maxwell Mironga yesterday described the player’s absence as “a set back”.
Mironga said it was also unfortunate that CAPS United would be wounded by the absence of two defenders – David Sengu and Edmore Chapfungamoyo – who were sent off against Gunners at Rufaro last Sunday.
The match failed to go distance as it was abandoned after 68 minutes with Chando Kupisa leading 2-0.
Now with Mapemba also missing in action and appearing to have played his last derby against Dynamos last month, Mironga said CAPS would have to dig deep into their reserves to find adequate replacements.
“To us it’s a setback considering that we would have wanted to face Dynamos with a full strength squad and considering that we had two more defenders (Sengu and Chapfungamoyo) sent off against Gunners.
“You obviously need experienced players like Gilbert in such matches.
“But derby games are tricky and anything can happen.
“You can field players from the reserve side and they can go on and perform very well so all I can say at the moment is that the coaches are working very hard to prepare for this upcoming game.
“We lost the last derby and we feel it is time we exact revenge by winning on Sunday,” Mironga said.
Mironga said although Mapemba’s absence would be a setback for them the club was also very happy for the player whom he described as having been loyal to the CAPS United cause for the last three seasons.
“For the player, a move to a club outside the country is very good. Gilbert has been with us for three to four years and this is the right time that he got a move.
“We also feel that if the deals fails, it would somewhat de-motivate Gilbert to come back and play here because it is time that he realises something from his chosen profession, which is football.
“He is 25 years old, about to turn 26, and most of the guys he played with at CAPS have since moved out of the country” Mironga said.
The CAPS United chief executive, however said his club would not just fold their arms and bemoan Mapemba’s departure and the suspension of key players as they have already moved to secure replacements.
Mironga was yesterday running around to seal former Monomotapa left back Asani Nhongo’s move to Makepekepe with the CAPS United chief executive revealing that they had agreed terms with the player’s current club Gunners.
Nhongo had been loaned out to Mozambican outfit Liga Muculumana by Gunners and he reverted to being a Chando Kupisa player on his return to the country.
“We should be having a right back, a left back and a striker and possibly these new players could be registered in time for the derby but if that doesn’t happen then they will be available for selection in our next assignment.
“We are still pushing to get the reverse international clearance for Nhongo from the Mozambican Football Association, we have talked to Gunners and agreed terms with them.
“The club in Mozambique has also cleared him and all that we are waiting for now is the transfer certificate from the FA which should be done electronically to Zifa anytime soon,” Mironga said.
Although they have named Nhongo as one of their mid-season signings CAPS United, now in seventh place with 22 points and 11 points behind leaders FC Platinum, have also come under some criticism for resorting to the old guard to carry them through the tougher second half the season.
CAPS United have abandoned their belief in youth and opted to place their trust in old warhorses like Ashley Rambanapasi, Leonard Tsipa, Luckmore Simango and Sengu.
Online Reporter