BORDER STRIKERS . . . . . . (1) CAPS UNITED . . . . . . . . . (2) 3
Caps United avoided a potential banana skin to record an important win against bottom side Border Strikers, which took them to the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table.
This was a fixture Caps United could ill afford to lose, even though a draw would still have taken then to the top.
The Green Machine have a difficult run in with clashes against Dynamos, Harare City, Ngezi Platinum and Chapungu still to come.
With FC Platinum having lost their match against Harare City, Caps needed to take advantage and they did just that with first half goals from strikers Leonard Tsipa and Simba Nhivi before Tafadzwa Rusike rounded off the scoring with a second half beauty.
Lloyd Chitembwe’s side saw their chances of ending an 11-year title drought blossoming after they opened a two-point lead at the top.
The home side, however, played the second half of the match with 10-men after defender Shelton Mazumba was dismissed a minute before the break following a second yellow card for rough play.
Caps United settled first and could have surged ahead after just two minutes, but Joel Ngodzo shot wide after he went eye-ball with goalkeeper Talent Sande.
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Border Strikers were launching raids of their own, but were let down by poor finishing. Striker David Tito also shot wide after finding acres of space in a counter-attack.
On 21st minute, Tsipa thrust Caps ahead with a beautiful diving header at the end of a Ronald Pfumbidzai cross. Barely had the Caps United fans taken their seats when Farai Mususunye restored parity after beating his marker before firing past Caps goalkeeper Jorum Muchambo.
Ngodzo provided entertainment with his ball artistry, but he missed another good opportunity to restore Caps lead.
Caps restored their advantage on the 43rd minute through Nhivi, who took advantage of a defensive lapse in the home side.
Clever Matendebvure, who came in for ineffective William Nyoni could have levelled on 77rd minute, but he chose to shot wide instead of placing the ball into an empty net with Muchambo beaten.
Rusike, who replaced Abbas Amidu, sealed the three points on the 88th minute with a low shot from 25 metres. Luke Masomere said his team played well, but missed a lot of chances.
“I am disappointed by the result, but not how my boys played,” he said. “We are not giving up yet (the fight to stay up) and we will give our best until the last game,” Masomere said. BY Own Correspondent
