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Caps United lose in Egypt

Sport
Caps United endured a disappointing start to their Caf Champions League Group B campaign with a defeat to Zamalek of Egypt in Alexandria last night.

Zamalek …………(0)2 Caps United ………..0

Caps United endured a disappointing start to their Caf Champions League Group B campaign with a defeat to Zamalek of Egypt in Alexandria last night.

BY Sports Reporter

Lloyd Chitembwe
Lloyd Chitembwe

Goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda was liable for both goals scored by Bassemi Morsi and Stanley Ohawuchi in the second half which condemned a fighting Caps United side.

It is one of those matches where Lloyd Chitembwe’s side will feel they could have got something as they gifted their opponents the two goals.

As expected, it was a frantic match as Zamalek searched for a win while at first Caps United looked content at keeping it at par and were forced out of their defensive shape when the first goal went in on the 57th minute.

Captain Shiakabala crossed the ball into the box, but Sibanda made a mess of what should have been a routine save for him to set the hosts on their way.

Caps United started to dictate the pace with some good passes and movement, but they barely threatened the hosts’ goal.

Striker Abbas Amidu got two half chances, but fluffed his lines only for substitute Ohawuchi to nod in the second to kill of the game. Ohawuchi converted from a corner kick that Sibanda could have cut.

Chitembwe had seemingly drilled his charges to avoid mistakes at all costs, but it is a Sibanda’s howler that gave the hosts the opener they needed having been kept at bay by some resilient defending by the visitors.

Caps United survived some dangerous raids by the hosts in the first half with Valentine Musarurwa, playing at left back, forced to clear off the line early on.

Ten minutes before the break, Sibanda was forced into a save off a Morsi shot to keep the score-line at par. But it was 10 minutes after the break that Caps United gave in.

It was Sibanda, who looked to have gone closest to equalising from a free-kick, but his shot was carefully watched by goalkeeper Ahmed Alshinnawy, who parried it out.

Other than that, the Green Machine, for all their second half possession and passing, they never looked like getting a goal.

They will have to come back and re-energise ahead of their next match against USM Alger who beat Al Ahli Tripoli 3-0 yesterday.

The home match against USM Alger will be played on May 18 in Harare and Chitembwe will be hoping his charges can recover with a win.

From the evidence of yesterday’s match, Caps United showed that they are a team with the capability of upsetting anyone.

Starting line-ups:

Zamalek: Ahmed Elshinnawy, Mohammed Nasef, Osama Ibrahim, Ali Gabr, Mohammed Hamdi, Tarek Hamed, Maruf Youssef, Ahmed Rafat, Shikabala, Mustafa Fathi, Bassem Morsi

CAPS United: Edmore Sibanda, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Valentine Musarurwa, Justice Jangano, Dennis Dauda, Devon Chafa, Phineas Bhamusi, Moses Muchenje, Ronald Chitiyo, Abbas Amidu, Ronald Pfumbidzayi