FOUR points from the last two Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches suggest Caps United’s problems have subsided, but a defeat at the hands of FC Platinum in an encounter set for the National Sports Stadium today will certainly plunge the Green Machine back into crisis and anxiety mode.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
This is the tight rope that the reigning Coach of the Year and Caps United’s main tactician, Lloyd Chitembwe, is walking on as his club suffers the ravages of their success last season, where they have gone on to lose one star player after another.
Besides that, fatigue has taken its toll on a team that has already played no less than 26 matches in all competitions so far this year.
Their match today presents an opportunity for the champions to show that they are well and truly on their way out of the woods as they seek to climb from an unfamiliar position deep in the relegation zone.
The Green Machine have been struggling for fluency since they were knocked out of the Caf Champions league.
The continental campaign, where they played some good football in parts, left them with a huge back log as they have played only 15 matches while other teams have already played 21 matches thus far.
In those matches, they have managed just 18 points, having won four, drawn six and lost five and remain stuck on third position from the bottom on the league table.
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But Caps United assistant coach Mark Mathe believes after collecting four points in their last two matches, they are back on track.
“Look every game we are playing in the PSL is a big game and we will approach the FC Platinum match like any other. It’s not that we disrespect FC Platinum. We do respect them, they have a good coach and good players. It will be difficult ofcourse but we will try our best to get the three points,” he said.
He reckoned that the team has been doing well of late after collecting four points in their last two matches.
“I think we have been doing well, we collected four points, the victories against ZPC Kariba and the draw against Tsholotsho. Even the games we have been losing, as a technical team we are happy we are getting back to our normal selves. We are starting to play with fluency. It’s just that the goals have been elusive and we have been conceding but we went back to the drawing board. Against FC Platinum, we are looking forward to a good performance,” said Mathe.
Today they will be looking up to their forward line which contains Dominic Chungwa and John Zhuwawo. But their main problem has been their leaky defence, which will be seeking a better display this afternoon.
Caps face an FC Platinum side who have their eyes firmly fixed on the big prize, one piece of silverware they desperately want to add into their trophy cabinet.
Coach Norman Mapeza used the July transfer window to add firepower after signing former Dynamos striker Takesure Chinyama, who arrived together with Mkhokeli Dube.
The only defeat that the platinum miners have suffered so far came against Ngezi Platinum mine and they look an ominous side capable of causing chaos in the Caps camp.
With three points the visitors for today’s match can climb up to second on the table and just one point behind Ngezi Platinum Stars.
