Under-fire CAPS coach pleads for more time

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

UNDER-FIRE CAPS United coach, Darlington Dodo, has appealed for patience from the club after starting off this season poorly, with just victory, in eight games.

Dodo faces an uncertain future, at the misfiring Green Machine, after a disappointing start, in the Chibuku Super Cup. 

Makepekepe were left staring an embarrassing early exit, following the 1-1 draw against bottom-placed side Herentals, at Baobab on Sunday. “We are not down but it’s a phase. Who knows? Probably it’s a preparatory zone for us for the league,’’ said Dodo. 

‘‘When we get to that stage, probably, we will be a far better team because we will have learnt from our mistakes in the Chibuku Super Cup.

“We need to push in the Chibuku Super Cup, to perfect what we need to perfect ahead of the start of the league campaign. 

‘‘So, this is a very good tournament for us and we need to keep pushing hard.” 

The alarm bells have been ringing at the Green Machine, who have managed just eight points, from as many games, in this year’s tournament. The game against Herentals was a must-win, to breathe life into their faltering campaign. “We had come here to collect maximum points,” said Dodo.

“If you look at our approach, it was all about going forward. We wanted to be more offensive because we needed the goals to try and win the game. Unfortunately, the result didn’t go our way. But, we will still take the point and, hopefully, put more focus on the last two games. 

‘‘We have to try and grind out something because we don’t know what will happen with the other teams, which we are directly involved in competition with, for the number two position.”

CAPS United have now fallen 12 points behind their biggest rivals Dynamos, who lead Group One, with 20 points.

CAPS United chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals, as one of the top two teams, were dashed last week, when they lost 0-1 to Harare City, at the National Sports Stadium.

Makepekepe have won only one game in this tournament, a 2-1 victory over Herentals, in the first round. Dodo’s men have gone on to draw five and lost two games. 

Given they lost their final two league matches in 2019, blowing a golden chance to win the league championship, the Green Machine have won just one of their last 10 games. But, with the Harare Derby coming up against Dynamos, in their next game, the Green Machine coach could see more pressure piling up. Already there are sections of Makepekepe fans who are calling for Dodo to be axed. CAPS United needed a second half penalty to get a point on Sunday. 

They had fallen behind courtesy of a penalty conversion by Herentals’ Brighton Majarira.