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Troubled Caps meet Chicken Inn

Sport
CAPS United owner Twine Phiri on Tuesday successfully doused a fire that was threatening to raze down his empire.

CAPS United owner Twine Phiri on Tuesday successfully doused a fire that was threatening to raze down his empire, yet the week could still end in dejection if the team fails to progress past Chicken Inn in a Mbada Diamonds Cup quarter-final match at Ascot Stadium in Gweru this afternoon.

SPORTS REPORTER

The match will be screened live on Supersport 9 at 1500hrs. The Green Machine had to make the trip to Gweru early, on Thursday, not because that they wanted to and not because they can afford it. Absolutely not.

After a few days of total anarchy at the club that saw coach Taurai Mangwiro quitting the club in a huff last Sunday before making a U-turn two days later, Caps wanted a change of scenery to regroup.

Mangwiro said the team needed a change of surroundings to bond. No doubt they desperately needed this exercise considering what they went through early this week.

The battle that lies ahead of them also needs a united Caps United, lest they would be humiliated.

A 3-1 league defeat to Shabanie Mine saw Mangwiro temporarily quit his job before Phiri persuaded him back.

And now the former Masvingo United coach has to lead his troops into an awkward battle against a very unpredictable opponent.

This is a Chicken Inn side that has been very formidable this season. In the league, they are joint fifth on the log table. Interestingly, they share that position with Caps United.

But while things have been haywire in the Green Machine camp ahead of this encounter, it is smooth sailing at Chicken Inn.

It has always been like that with the Gamecocks, anyway.

To qualify for this stage of the competition, Chicken Inn beat Shabanie Mine 3-0, while Caps United had to endure a penalty shoot-out against a lowly Motor Action 7-6 side to gain entrance.

Kuda Mahachi has been in terrific form for Chicken Inn and Caps United should be on the look-out for the winger, while the returning Tendai Ndoro should also pose a formidable threat to the Green Machine cause.

Chicken Inn are going into the match with their confidence high having dominated Caps United in recent times.

In two league encounters last year, Chicken Inn got away with four points including a 3-0 win in Bulawayo.

This year, the two teams’ have met once in a league match and Chicken Inn won the match 1-0, Ndoro scoring the goal.

But this is a cup game and with the stakes at $130 000 for the winners, the result is difficult to predict.