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Ronnie, Rooney recover

Sport
Premier Soccer League giants Caps United received a major boost yesterday following the return of injured full back Ronald Pfumbidzai and Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo to training, ahead of the trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo for the Caf Champions League first round, first leg clash next weekend.

Premier Soccer League giants Caps United received a major boost yesterday following the return of injured full back Ronald Pfumbidzai and Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo to training, ahead of the trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo for the Caf Champions League first round, first leg clash next weekend.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

Ronald Pfumbidzai
Ronald Pfumbidzai

Pfumbidzai did not play a part in the 3-1 victory over old enemy Dynamos in the Zimbabwe National Army Charities semi-final on Sunday, after sustaining a knee injury during the Caf Champions League victory over Lioli of Lesotho.

Caps United eventually won the encounter against Lioli 2-1 to qualify to the first round on a 2-1 aggregate victory, after they had been restricted to a 0-0 draw in Maseru in the first leg.

The Green Machine doctor, Cosmas Chiripamberi, said Pfumbidzai started light training yesterday.

“Pfumbidzai picked a knee injury during the match against Lioli of Lesotho, but he has started light training. So we are confident he will make the trip to the DRC,” he said.

“As for Chitiyo, he picked up a minor injury on Sunday. He had a thigh problem, but he has already started training with the rest of the team.”

Chitiyo limped off the pitch on 57 minutes in the victory over Dynamos on Sunday and was replaced by Tafadzwa Rusike.

It had been thought he had suffered a serious injury, but it has since emerged it wasn’t to that extent.

Caps United fielded their regular players, save for Hardlife Zvirekwi, Joel Ngodzo and Pfumbidzai, who are all expected to play a part in the TP Mazembe clashes.

The Green Machine travel to the DRC next weekend hoping to upstage five-time African Champions, TP Mazembe in their own backyard, as the two teams battle for qualification for the group stage of the continental club showpiece.

Mazembe have proved a difficult team at their home ground, which they have turned into a fortress.

Last season, TP Mazembe failed to make it to the group stages of the Caf Champions League, after they were booted out by Morocco side Wydad Casablanca.

Caps United can draw inspiration from that, as the Moroccan outfit managed to force a 1-1 draw at the Stade TP Mazembe, where they draw crowds averaging 18 000.

Mazembe dropped to the Caf Confederation Cup, where in the group stages they won all their home matches against Mo Bejaia, Medeama and Tanzania’s Young Africans.

Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel also managed to force a draw at the Stade TP Mazembe, but the DRC side went through and went all the way to win the tournament.

Caps United have targeted qualification to the group stage, which comes with huge financial rewards.

TP Mazembe have enjoyed success against Zimbabwean opposition, having upstaged Dynamos 2-1 in the Lubumbashi clash, while a year earlier, Monomotapa lost 2-0 at home, before the 5-0 thrashing away from home in the group stages.