Quelaton . . . . . . (1) 1 Caps United . . . .(1) 1 Relegation-bound Quelaton held Caps United to 1-1 draw in an exciting Castle Lager Premiership football match at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
Report by Fortune Mbele Sports Reporter Both sides displayed a classy performance in a match in which Quelaton goalkeeper Winston Chiwetu was the hero for his side, saving a Rahman Kutsanzira spot kick in the 23rd minute and again coming to the rescue of the Bulawayo club five minutes before the final whistle.
Chiwetu punched away a Leonard Fiyado stinger that the Green Machine fans had counted in.
Quelaton drew first blood in the 25th minute after Simba Manwere poked in a cross from Marshal Machazane from the right flank from a dead ball situation after Caps United left-back Asani Nhongo had fouled Timothy January.
However, Caps United cancelled the goal two minutes later with a close-range shot from Nqobile Mpala which left Chiwetu a spectator after the forward had been set up by Fiyado.
Quelaton picked up a point to go to 10 points from 24 matches, but still remain stuck at the bottom of the log standings with coach Farai Sibanda still adamant they could survive relegation.
“The game was okay, but we failed to click in the second half and we did not get close to scoring. But in playing the ball and let it flow, we were the better side. We are going to fight until the last game,” Sibanda said.
Caps United head coach Taurai Mangwiro was disappointed with the draw, but said they had expected a tough encounter against the Bulawayo outfit, giving the thumbs up to Chiwetu for making the crucial saves.
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“We want to look at it as two points dropped and not as a point gained. But we knew it was going to be a tough game. It was unfortunate that we missed that penalty and they frustrated us especially in the second half as they wasted time.
“They looked content with playing for a draw even though they were at home. Their goalkeeper made crucial saves. We have been playing well in the last five matches, but today (yesterday) we were not up to scratch.
“We have to pick up maximum points and do the job on our own and not wait to see how other teams play. We cannot continue dropping points,” Mangwiro said.
Caps remain on position nine with 30 points and are still not safe from the chop with six matches remaining.
Quelaton’s Peace Tshuma hacked down Fiyado in the penalty box in the 22nd minute and Midlands referee Munyaradzi Majoni pointed to the spot before Kutsanzira’s kick was pushed out for a corner by Chiwetu.
Fiyado missed another sitter a minute into the second half after receiving a cross from Tapiwa Kumbuyani.
In the 73rd minute, it was Quelaton’s chance as January dribbled past Caps centre-back Tawanda Munyanduri, but his thunderbolt sailed over the cross-bar.
Quelaton skipper and central defender Zibusisio Sibanda cleared a Charles Chiutsa header off the line in the 76th minute with Chiwetu a beaten man.
With five minutes remaining, a build-up that originated from substitute David Rediyoni and Shingi Kawondera landed on Fiyado whose stinger was punched away for a corner by the ever-busy Chiwetu. It was, however, Quelaton’s knocking of the ball and their passing game that gave the match its sparkle with Eddie Nkulungo, Gracious Nleya, Mhleli Sibanda and January dominant in midfield.
