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NewsDay

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Hard luck Zvirekwi

Sport
CAPS United will be without their captain Hardlife Zvirekwi when they clash with Libyan side Al Ahli Tripoli in their Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions League Group B match at the National Sports Stadium on Friday.

CAPS United will be without their captain Hardlife Zvirekwi when they clash with Libyan side Al Ahli Tripoli in their Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions League Group B match at the National Sports Stadium on Friday.

BY HENRY MHARA

Hardlife Zvirekwi
Hardlife Zvirekwi

The defender suffered a hamstring injury in their 2-1 victory against USM Alger last week and was substituted with a quarter of an hour to go in the game.

He was part of the crew of six players that missed the team’s trip to Triangle on Sunday for a league match where the champions were held to a one-all draw.

Other players, who were left behind are Ronald Chitiyo, the scorer of the two goals that downed the Algerian side, Tafadzwa Rusike, Devon Chafa, Valentine Musarurwa and goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda.

While the omission of the other players from the travelling squad was just a precautionary measure by coach Lloyd Chitembwe, it has emerged that Zvirekwi will not be involved against Al Ahli Tripoli, handing a huge blow to the Green Machine.

Zvirekwi, who has had very little time to rest owing to club and national team commitments, sustained the injury as he was trying to clear the ball.

He immediately clutched the back of his thigh and went down before he was pulled out and replaced by Kudzai Nyamupfukudza in the 75th minute.

The seriousness of the injury and the length of time Zvirekwi would spend on the sidelines could not be ascertained, but a minor muscle pull or strain (grade 1) may take a few days to heal, whereas it could take weeks or months to recover from a muscle tear (grade 2 or 3).

The news is a huge blow to Chitembwe and his side who are looking to build on their win over USM with another victory at home, against Al Ahli Tripoli, the only side yet to get maximum points in Group B.

Caps United are second in Group B with three points, the same number with USM Alger, but the Zimbabwean team is ahead due to a head-to-head record as per Caf’s regulations on tie breakers.

Egyptian giants Zamalek, who beat Caps United 2-0, top the group with four points, while Al Ahli has one.

Two teams from the group qualify to the competition’s quarter-finals.

After the Friday match, the same day Zamalek host USM Alger, Caps United travel to Tripoli on June 21 before hosting Zamalek on July 2. They will conclude their group matches with an away trip to USM Alger five days later.

Chitembwe says he is struggling to manage the thin squad who are fighting on two fronts due to injuries to some of his regulars.

It is in the strikers department that the club looks most affected after the departure of Simba Nhivi and the injury to Leonard Tsipa, which has forced Chitembwe to play midfielder Abbasi Amidu as the target man.

Three players from West Africa have been at the clubs for trials in the past few months although it is not yet clear if he is interested in signing them up.