FINANCIALLY unstable Caps United will host last year’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) runners-up ZPC Kariba at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow in a clash where both teams will be looking to bounce back from defeats in their last league encounters.
BY HENRY MHARA
The Green Machine, reeling under serious financial challenges, were handed a 4-0 humbling by high-flying Triangle a fortnight ago while ZPC Kariba fell 2-1 to Chapungu in a rescheduled fixture on Wednesday.
The match courted a lot of controversy after the losing coach, Saul Chaminuka, lost his head in the post-match analysis, alleging that the referee aided the home side to win. The usually cool coach now faces PSL sanctions for his rare outbursts and will certainly cough up a $1 200 fine as his case falls under the league’s standing orders.
Tomorrow, the two teams have a chance to put the events of the previous two weeks behind them with a win here while a defeat, particularly for Caps United, would be very unwelcome.
“After dropping points in our last game, we have to win this one at all cost,” reckons Chaminuka.
“Looking at the current log table, we are not on a good position. We have to improve; we know we should be up there with the leading teams. We are playing one of the big teams so getting points against them would help especially in the title challenge so this is one match we are desperate to win,” he added.
The two teams met in the Independence Cup third and fourth play-off in Bulawayo last weekend with ZPC Kariba winning 1-0 in a match both sides fielded relatively second string sides.
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“This is a different match because we know Caps will play differently and so we will approach it differently,” Chaminuka said. “We will concentrate more on our team plan than looking at what Caps United are doing in their camp. We know they want to revenge, but we want to bounce back, so I’m looking forward to a very interesting match on Sunday.”
For Caps United, after a strong start in their opening two matches, it appears the wheels have already come out so early in their campaign.
A 3-0 walkover result after the players boycotted a match against How Mine in protest over salaries and winning bonuses was followed up by a 1-1 draw against Dynamos, before a humiliating 4-0 defeat away at Triangle.
Five games played and they are already a distant eighth on the log standings with eight points, five behind joint leaders Triangle and Dynamos.
But the dip in form has been attributed to the financial problems the club is currently facing, with the club owner Twine Phiri this week calling on prospective buyers to take over. Already an unnamed Bulawayo businessman has offered to buy the club, according to reports.
Caps United coach Mark Harrison this week told the media that despite the problems, the team needed “to pick themselves up and continue with the fight”.
“We are trying to keep focused despite everything. We are trying to do a professional job,” said Harrison. Both teams are going into the match affected by injuries and suspensions.
Striker Leonard Tsipa is out for the home side while defender Carlton Munzabwa is battling a groin injury. Hardlife Zvirekwi was walking with a limp this week, but should be fit for the match. ZPC Kariba on the other hand will be without striker Tawanda Nyamandwe through suspension while Thomas Magorimbo is a major doubt with a nagging injury that saw him miss the trip to Chapungu.
