Gunners . . . . . . . . . . 0 Caps United . . . . . . . 0 Moses “Bambo” Chunga’s first assignment at the helm of Gunners ended in huge disappointment as he failed to punish his former club Caps United despite creating enough chances to win a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at the bumpy Lafarge Stadium Thursday.
The match was Chunga’s first since his unceremonious departure from Caps United two weeks ago and from the first whistle it looked like he was going to punish an out-of-sorts Caps, but the strikers took turns to miss the numerous chances that came their way.
Chunga said after the match: “This was two points dropped because we were all over them the whole match, but we just came short in front of goal.
The best thing however is that we were creating chances. We still have a lot of work to do, but I’m impressed with these youngsters. They are very good, I just want them to believe in themselves.”
When asked about his first assignment against his former club, the outspoken gaffer said: “I don’t live in the past, I’m focused ahead.”
His opposite number Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe, who was also making his debut at Caps United, blamed the pitch for his team’s failure to collect maximum points.
“I think the result is ok, at least there is a starting point. The boys tried very hard, but the pitch was very bad, it looks like a maize field, it’s very sandy. I think we will play better when we will meet them (Gunners) at Rufaro on Sunday because of the pitch and the commitment,” said Jongwe.
The draw did not do much to both teams on the log standings. Caps, who are now on 22 points, remained in seventh position while Gunners remained rooted second from the bottom with 13 points.
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The enterprising Gunners, led by the exciting Cliff Sekete, created enough chances and could have won the match by at least a dozen goals, but were let down by some weird finishing by the strikers.
Almost all the in-field Gunners players had a chance to score a goal in yesterday’s match but every time they found themselves in front of goal — either shot tamely at the Caps goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda or missed the target.
Gunners’ supporters were even left to believe that Caps United were using juju and one of them twice ran across the Caps United goal area sprinkling some “concoctions” to try and neutralise the “muti”.
In the first half alone, Gunners created more than seven clear-cut chances, with Leonard Fiyado wasting the best of them all when he raced through to face the Caps United goalkeeper, but couldn’t convert from point-blank.
Caps fielded Ashley Rambanapasi and Tendai Samanja but never got into the groove, as Rambanapasi clearly lacked match fitness before he was duly substituted while the highly-rated Samanja who was deployed as a right back showed some few clever touches.
The second half was virtually a replica of the first one as Gunners, employing a one-two touch, mesmerised their opponents but still could not find the goal. In 66th minute, Sekete’s shot from the six-yard box deflected off the defender with Sibanda on the wrong side of action while Byron Madzokere headed over a Hardlife Zvirekwi cross a minute later.
Lloyd Masakusi was next to miss four minutes later when he skied his effort from inside the box, and his backheel later in the game fooled Sibanda but could not just get in.
Teams Gunners: P Chigumba, H Zvirekwi, P Chinungwa, P Makuvaza, L Masakusi, L Fiyado, C Sekete (W Kamudyariwa, 78th min), B Madzokere, E Muzvidziwa, M Muchenje, M Kunyarimwe
Caps United: E Sibanda, T Samanja, E Chafungamoyo, D Walaza, N Mukumbi, A Rambanapasi (P Tafirenyika, 75th min), S Alimenda, T Mangezi (G Mangani, 65th min), M Samaneka, W Pakamisa (J Luphahla 82nd min), E Gwekwerere
