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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
CAPS UNITED coach Taurai Mangwiro says his men will be playing for the integrity of their brand in their final Castle Lager Premiership tie against ZPC Kariba at Gwanzura and are not in the mood to hand out favours.
The Green Machine are out of the championship race and could even finish fourth, if they fail to beat ZPC Kariba, should a resurgent FC Platinum, who have been the in-form team in the last five games of the league programme, beat relegated Chiredzi FC at Mandava.
Makepekepe find themselves in the same position they were last year, when they played for their integrity, holding Harare City to a 2-2 draw at the National Sports Stadium, a result that opened a window of hope for Dynamos.
The Glamour Boys won their last match, to be crowned champions, but their result would have been irrelevant, in the championship race, had CAPS United lost to Harare City. Now, Mangwiro and his men close their eventful season, where many feel they would have been champions had they not been stalked by the financial difficulties that continue to haunt them, with another key battle against a team fighting for the league title.
Interestingly, Mangwiro and ZPC Kariba coach Saul Chaminuka worked together, as coaches at CAPS United, when they ended Harare City’s bid for league title honours in that 2-2 draw at the giant stadium.
Chaminuka was Mangwiro’s assistant last season before he decided to go and join ZPC Kariba where he assembled a team of veterans, including many who used to play for the Green Machine and now they stand to win the league championship in their maiden season.
Although ZPC Kariba could win the league, with a draw in their last game against CAPS United, that will depend on DeMbare either failing to beat How Mine, in their last game, or beating the miners by a three-goal winning margin or less.
A four-goal winning margin for DeMbare, in the event of a draw for ZPC Kariba, could see the Glamour Boys win the league again, for the fourth year running, on goal difference. The good money is on ZPC Kariba completing their fairytale and winning their maiden league title, but football is a crazy game and Mangwiro said his men have to play for their brand.
“I know that’s what people have been saying, but I don’t believe the league is won by one match, but it’s what you do throughout the season that wins the league,” said Mangwiro.
“So if any of the two teams go on to win it, it’s because of the hard work that they would have done. It’s unfortunate that we won’t be part of that podium, but expect us to play a fair game and I think ZPC, they have been doing their business on their own, they don’t need any favours from us. So it’s all I would want to assure them.”
The CAPS United gaffer and ZPC Kariba coach Saul Chaminuka have had a good working relationship, but Mangwiro said they were also fierce rivals.
He said the records speak for themselves and noted that he has only lost once to Chaminuka.
He knows he is my mentor he is the one who brought me to football, but if you ask him today he has only beaten me once so it would take a lot for him to get the result. It’s not that he will get it on a silver platter, we will fight.
“He has done very well and I am happy for him, but don’t expect any favours from me,” said Mangwiro.
It will be an exciting last round of fixtures with all eyes on these two matches and ZPC Kariba are likely to have a section of the CAPS United supporters in their corner.
Some Green Machine fans, though, on Sunday turned against their team when they felt that it was not firing on all cylinders in the first half of their match against Harare City.
Mangwiro had to make a number of changes, as he tried to breathe life into his team, including pulling out his central defender during the match.
CAPS United fans then cheered the Green Machine after they turned on the style in the second half and were full value for their point.
Online Reporter