CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League champions, Caps United have lost their vice-captain, Stephen Makatuka to South African National First Division side AmaZulu.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
AmaZulu are under the guidance of former Chicken Inn coach, Joey Antipas, a longtime admirer of the centre back.
Antipas, who was in the country for the festive season break, left for Durban, South Africa, with Makatuka on Tuesday.
The team started training yesterday and Makatuka was expected to sign a contract with the club after his deal with Caps United expired on December 31.
“It’s true, Makatuka is here in Durban. I came with him yesterday (Tuesday). We started training today,” Antipas said.
Caps United had included Makatuka in the 25-member squad, they submitted to the Confederation of African Football (Caf), hoping he would extend his stay with the Green Machine. The club claimed they had retained the centre-back, even though they were yet to agree on a new deal.
However, following the expiry of his contract, AmaZulu moved swiftly to snap up the player on the free.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Caps United will need to go out and look for a replacement since they left five slots vacant. They have other options in that position, with Justice Jangano still in the club’s books having sat on the bench for most of the second half of last season.
The Green Machine have signed former Harare City forward Ronald Chitiyo, their major deal of the transfer window so far. Chitiyo has been registered in their squad for the Caf Champions League. The former Dynamos star was out of contract after his deal with Harare City ran out on Sunday,
Other additions to the squad are goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba, who signed from Gunners, as well as defender, Last Sithole, snapped up from FC Platinum on a three-year deal.
Caps United are targeting reaching the money-spinning group stages in the Champions League, a feat that would guarantee them $550 000 after Caf reviewed their prize monies upwards at the beginning this season.
So confident are Caps United of reaching the group stages that they have left five slots open in their squad allocation, which they intend to fill up if they reach that stage.
Caps United will begin their Champions League campaign with a clash against Lesotho minnows Lioli in the preliminary stage, before taking on African football giants TP Mazembe in the first round.
They make the trip to Maseru first, before welcoming the side in the second leg in Harare a week later.
If they win, they will qualify for the group stages after Caf cut the two-legged qualifying phase from three rounds to two and expanded the group stage from eight to 16 teams, divided into four groups of four clubs.
If they lose against Mazembe, they will be relegated to the Caf Confederations Cup, where they will be required to participate in a play-off round.
The preliminary round ties will be played on the weekends of February 10 to 12 and 17 to 19‚ with the first round ties on the weekends of March 10-12 and 17-19.
