BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
CAPS UNITED . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Chapungu . . . . . . . . . . . .(1)2
TINEYI Chitora and Gift Phiri scored a goal each as Chapungu flew too high to claim victory over troubled Harare football giants Caps United in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
The victory lifted the airforce side into fourth place with 18 points from 10 matches, while Caps dropped to 10th position with the same number of points. It was Caps’ third defeat of the campaign.
That result was met with disapproval from the teams supporters who milled around the stadium after the match seeking a meeting with assistant coach Brenna Msiska whom they accused of working with the executive to destroy the team.
Msiska later made an appearance before a section of the team’s supporters and struggled to answer questions from the clearly disappointed fans. The fans accused Msiska and the management of neglecting the team culminating in the lacklustre performance.
Caps United have been unable to pay their players salaries and allowances, but they looked committed on the field as they wasted good chances in the first half with Gerald Phiri and Leonard Tsipa coming close on 16 and 19 minutes.
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Despite their dominance, the Green Machine found themselves trailing behind when Chitora slotted home on 20 minutes off a good delivery from the left by Allan Tavarwisa.
Chapungu also had a good chance nine minutes later, but midfielder Rodwell Mhlanga’s thunderous shot went just wide.
In the second half, Caps tried to claw back into the game with Tsipa missing a headed opportunity on 64 minutes.
Two minutes later, defender Carlton Munzabwa also missed another headed opportunity from a free kick by Phiri.
However, in a swift counter attack, Gift Phiri doubled Chapungu’s lead getting past defender Stephen Makatuka before firing a low ground shot that beat goalkeeper Chris Mverechena to sew up the contest.
Caps coach Mark Harrison was left disappointed with the result. “We didn’t turn up today. We were sluggish in the first half. I warned the guys not to underestimate Chapungu. I had a few words with them again at half time and there was improvement in the second half. We had two or three chances, but we couldn’t finish,” he said.
“We gave away two silly goals. We were just poor all round, but the commitment from the players was fantastic. We cannot keep on looking for excuses.
“We just hope things will improve at Caps United. We will regroup on Tuesday and try to work on our finishing,” added a dejected Harrison.
His opposite number John Nyikadzino was pleased with the victory. “I am happy with the result. I told the players before that Caps United might be experiencing in-house problems, but they are one of the toughest teams in the league with just one defeat.”
