Will Chiefs pile more misery on Caps?

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

BULAWAYO Chiefs will be out to pile more misery on Caps United in their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash in the city on Sunday.

Two points separate the two sides, with Chiefs sitting in ninth place on the league table with 19 points and Caps United in 11th place on 17 points.

Caps United have lost their last four matches and last recorded a win on April 4 when they edged Yadah 1-0.

The Green Machine has been a pale shadow of the side that lifted the 2016 league championship and its camp has been dogged by unending player unrest.

In their last four games, Caps United lost to Triangle United 2-1, Cranborne Bullets (2-0), FC Platinum (3-0) and log leaders Chicken Inn (1-0).

Sunday’s game will be Caps United’s third since a player mutiny that resulted in a 0-2 loss to Cranborne Bullets.

Caps United initially reacted to the embarrassing standoff by axing Devon Chafa, Denis Dauda, Clive Augusto, Ronald Chitiyo, Rodwell Chinyengetere and goalkeeper Simba Chinani for leading the revolt.

The players were protesting over low salaries and unpaid bonuses, and grouped at a different location, and only arrived at the National Sports Stadium in private vehicles half an hour after the scheduled kick-off time.

Chafa and Chinyengetere were forgiven less than 24 hours later after tempers cooled down, while Augusto re-joined his former side Chicken Inn, with Chitiyo and Chinani signing for Zifa Northern Region Division One League side Simba Bhora.

Dauda remains unattached.

Caps United have won one game out of six played outside Harare.

They edged Bulawayo City 1-0 in March and will be hoping for a repeat of fortunes when they return to the City of Kings to face Chiefs.

In their other away matches, Caps United drew 1-1 against Black Rhinos, embarrassingly lost 6-2 to Manica Diamonds, suffered a 2-1 defeat to Tenax CS FC in Mutare, lost to Triangle United as well as FC Platinum.

They collected just four points out of a possible 18 from matches they played outside Harare.

Their Sunday opponents Chiefs are on a six-match unbeaten run and in their last four outings and bagged eight points from identical 1-0 victories against Whawha and Bulawayo City, as well as the draws with Highlanders (2-2) and Herentals (1-1).

What could be worrying Chiefs coach Nilton Terroso is his team’s inability to protect the lead as evidenced by surrendering a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Highlanders.

They also allowed Herentals to force a draw in a match that they had scored first.

Caps United should watch out for the attacking quintet of Arthur Musiiywa, Mtshokozisi Msebe, Billy Veremu, Obriel Chirinda and Perfect Chikwende, who have been tormenting opponents’ defenders.

The five also drop from the front to assist the team in defence and are quick to burst once they retain possession to launch counter attacks.

PSL matchday 16 fixtures

Saturday

ZPC Kariba vs Highlanders (Nyamhunga), Black Rhinos vs Whawha (Sakubva), Harare City vs Bulawayo City (National Sports Stadium), Chicken Inn vs Yadah FC (Luveve), FC Platinum vs Triangle United (Mandava), Ngezi Platinum Stars vs Manica Diamonds (Baobab)

Sunday

Tenax CS FC vs Cranborne Bullets (Sakubva), Dynamos vs Herentals (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo Chiefs vs Caps United (Luveve)

Table

P W D L F A GD Pts
Chicken Inn 15 9 4 2 20 11 9 31

*Dynamos 14 9 3 2 17 6 11 30

Triangle Utd 15 8 4 3 23 13 10 28

*FC Platinum 14 7 4 3 18 7 11 25

M Diamonds 15 6 7 2 22 12 10 25

Ngezi Plat 15 6 6 3 20 8 12 24

Black Rhinos 15 5 7 3 18 14 4 22

Herentals 15 6 4 5 16 17 -1 22

Byo Chiefs 15 4 7 4 12 12 0 19