CAPS United and Black Mambas have two players each in camp with the national senior men’s team, but it is the former who should feel the heat when the two teams meet in a league match at Gwanzura Stadium tomorrow.
REPORT BY HENRY MHARA
The Green Machine will have Hardlife Zvirekwi and Tawanda Nyamandwe with the Warriors in Zambia for an international friendly match, while Warumwa Warumwa will miss Nicholas Alifandika and Last Chibwiro for the league match as they are also part of the team that is expected to travel to Lusaka this morning.
Zvirekwi has scored thrice and Nyamandwe has weighed in with two in Caps’ six goals in the league so far. The only other player besides the two who has managed to find the net for Caps is former Hippo Valley striker Dominic Chungwa.
On the other hand, Mambas have also scored six goals in the league so far, but the goals are spread among the players with Alifandika as the only player with two goals for the police outfit.
More bad news for Caps United is that roving left-back Ronald Pfumbidzai, arguably the league’s best find this far, and winger Rahman Kutsanzira are down with injuries.
The good news is that Tendai Samanja and Tawanda Munyanduri are back to full fitness and should be available for selection.
“Hardlife and Tawanda are very influential players and we definitely need them. But their absence is an opportunity for others to shine. We hope those available will be able to fill in the void,” Caps United coach Taurai Mangwiro said.
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“Ronald and Rahman are injured and could be unavailable,” added the soft-spoken gaffer, who received a one-year suspended ban for the Asiagate match-fixing scandal. Mangwiro’s first match in charge was a 2-1 win over league newcomers How Mine last week.
Often regarded as the “relegation survivors” in recent years, Mambas have started strongly this term, collecting 10 points from a possible 15. The John “Toto” Ncube-coached side are perched pretty on third position on the log standings.
“The two are regular players and that will definitely affect the team’s performance, but I registered 30 players. Those who are coming in will be hard-pressed to prove a point and that could be good for us. All the other 28 registered players are available for selection,” said Ncube.
