CAPS United will be aiming to upstage Malawian football champions Big Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium this afternoon in the Zambezi Cup Challenge despite a looming goalkeeping crisis after second-choice keeper Manfred Mlingani sustained an injury at training and was ruled out of the match. BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA IN BLANTYRE, MALAWI
The match, which had been scheduled for yesterday at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe, was moved to Blantyre at the last minute after the government here ordered a change of date because yesterday was their Heroes holiday.
This meant Caps United, who had been camping in Lilongwe, had to make the trip to Blantyre yesterday to face Big Bullets, who are based in that city.
But the Green Machine will have to pray fervently that first-choice keeper Itai Chiwara does not get injured. In the worst case scenario they would have to deploy an in-field player.
However, Brenna Msiska, who is in charge of the team, was putting on a brave face yesterday.
“It’s a problem but I have been through it before. We can find out if there is someone in the team who can come in as a goalkeeper. In the worst case scenario, I can even keep goal myself. I did it when I was goalkeepers’ coach at Air Zimbabwe Jets when we played Caps United. I don’t think that it is a crisis,” said Msiska.
Team doctor Cleopas Mutubuki said: “Mlingani needs some time to heal. He needs at least a week and that means he will not take part in Wednesday’s (today’s) match.”
However, the rest of the team was in buoyant mood and Msiska said with the spirit in his camp, they could pull off a win against the Malawian champions. “With this spirit in camp, I am confident the boys can do it. They all want to play, which is good for the team,” said Msiska.
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Big Bullets, the most supported team here better known as The People’s Team, are playing in the African Champions League and beat Fomboni FC of the Comoros 3-2 on aggregate on Saturday.
They will be banking on home support as they seek to win the Zambezi Cup for the first time after they were bundled out in the semi-finals last season.
Caps United were the eventual winners of the cup after they saw off Mighty Wanderers 1-0 with Malawian striker Ishmael Thindwa scoring the goal that decided the contest.
