Hwange……….(0)0
CAPS United…..(0)0
THE Caps United camp is believed to be in disarray, with the players only arriving at the Colliery just a few hours after a salary standoff with the management for their match against hosts Hwange yesterday.
BY TINASHE MUNGAZI
However, the team put up a commendable show and could have come away with maximum points had they been a bit more clinical.
The Green Machine’s trip to Hwange looked in doubt, as the players refused to board a team bus in protest over their outstanding salaries and bonuses.
They only agreed to travel, late Saturday, after club president Farai Jere, had deposited all the salaries in the players’ bank accounts.
That, however, did not deter them, as they looked the sharper of the two sides, putting the home side under pressure for the better part of the match.
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Simba Nhivi could have put Caps in front early on, when he met a well-executed pass from striking partner Dominic Chungwa, but shot wide.
Chungwa, a former Hwange player, was next to waste a good chance, after he failed to connect a pass from Phenias Bamusi.
Chances continued to fall in the way of Caps United, and it was Chungwa again, who was guilty of missing the next one in the 56th minute, when he shot straight at Hwange goalie, Future Sibanda
The nearest the visitors came to scoring was when defender David Boriwondo’s miscued clearance hit his own crossbar, with five minutes remaining in the match.
While Hwange were outclassed, they had their chances too, notably by Pervington Zumunya, a former Caps United player, who managed to create some space inside the box, but could not trouble Caps United goalkeeper, Edmore Sibanda.
Lloyd Chitembwe, whose side is now on 37 points, two behind leaders FC Platinum, said they had surprised many with the good performance they put up on the back of the shoddy travel arrangements, which saw them arrive in the mining town a few hours before kick-off.
“I’m very happy with the performance these boys are showing great signs of a good team. I can’t fault them for anything, considering what they went through in terms of the travelling arrangements. All I promise our fans is that we are going to work hard,” he said.
Hwange, on the other hand, remain on 11th position, with 25 points. Their caretaker coach Mebelo Njekwa applauded his boys for putting up a fight in the face of low morale within the camp, which he said was due to non-payment of salaries.
“Looking at the overall performance, it was a tactful play from both teams as they both reverted to long balls. Morale is very low in the camp due to monetary issues, which I think also affected the Caps camp. This affected our play, as the mind is not in the game,” Njekwa said.
