dyton mupawaenda
Tobias Mandoreba-Hwange Correspondent
Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
CAPS United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
VISITING CAPS United put on a solid performance to overcome Hwange under very hot conditions in a Castle Lager Premier league match at the Colliery yesterday afternoon.
Going into the match, Hwange had gone for four games without defeat while CAPS United were still smarting from their loss to Yadah.
CAPS United coach Loyd Chitembwe will be grateful to veteran Rodwell Chinyengetere, whose flashing header deep into injury time of the opening half made all the difference in easing Caps United’s relegation headaches.
The Hwange defence should take the flack for ball watching as they allowed Chinyengetere all the space to connect a curling Godlknows Murwira corner kick past a badly exposed goalkeeper Wellington Muuya to leave the travelling Caps fans on cloud nine.
Away from the goal, the match was a see-saw affair from the onset with Cannan Nkomo getting the first opportunity in the 12th minute with a blistering left footed effort that deflected off Devon Chafa for a corner kick with goalie Ashley Rayners scrambling in vain.
Caps’ response was swift minutes later with Murwira unleashing a stinger from 30 metres that was fisted to safety by Muuya.
In the 25th minute Nkomo engineered another Hwange move with a mazy solo run before releasing youthful Tendai Muvhuti but the lad was overawed by the occasion and shot tamely into the waiting gloves of Rayners from close range.
On the half hour mark Chipangano didn’t heed the warning signs of the dangers of slack marking on set pieces when Chinyengetere was allowed a free header off a lovely Phineas Bhamusi cross but his effort sailed over by inches. The world then crumbled on the hosts just before half time with the goal that sealed the match as a contest.
Hwange coach Nation Dube made a double substitution seven minutes after the breather, throwing in Loyd Mutoma and Blessing Ngoma for Muvhuti and Prichard Mpelele respectively, but the Caps rearguard defended for dear life.
Feeling the pressure levels mounting, after some incessant Hwange pressure towards the dying stages of the game, the visitors started to employ some delaying tactics which frustrated the home players and fans, and it was no surprise when Rayners was given a yellow card by referee Kwanele Manenda 10 minutes from time for just slumping on the turf all alone with action on the other half of the pitch.
Nation Dube bemoaned some laxity in marking for the loss.
“Our marking was not up to scratch and that led to the goal but otherwise the boys gave a good show and we will pick up the pieces in the next game against Triangle,” said Dube.
Caps coach was a relieved man after getting the three big points.
“I am very happy to get the three points against a determined team like Hwange. We are going through a difficult patch as a club and I feel we need to work hard to move away from that precarious position because we are club with a history and we deserve better as a football family,” said Chitembwe.
TEAMS: HWANGE: W Muuya, K Shiyandindi, B Rendo, G Goriyati, B Mlotshwa, S Sithole, S Gadzikwa, T Muvhuti (L Mutoma 52nd minute), C Nkomo, C Sibanda, (J Chivasa 69th minute) P Mpelele (B Ngoma 52nd minute)
CAPS UNITED: A Rayners, G Murwira, I Zambezi, H Chipusha, L Mangayira, D Chafa, E Manokore, P Bhamusi (B Sarupinda 46th minute), J Tulani, C Rupiya (W Manondo 62nd minute), R Chinyengetere (I Nyoni 90th minute)
Online Reporter