HIGHLANDERS.................(0) 2
CAPS UNITED....................(2) 2
(Caps United won 5-3 after a penalty shootout)
CAPS United sailed through to the semi-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup after upstaging Highlanders via a penalty shootout at Babourfields Stadium in Bulawayo yesterday.
The Green Machine have set up a date wih Dynamos in the semi-finals after the Glamour Boys beat FC Platinum in another quarter-final at Mandava on Saturday.
Yesterday's match ended 2-2 in regulation time with the Bulawayo giants staging a dramatic comeback having trailed 2-0 at half time.
Caps coach Lloyd Chitembwe substituted goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga and replaced him with Ashley Rayners who went on to save a Lynoth Chikuhwa spotkick in the shootout with all Caps United takers converting their spot kicks.
Devon Chafa, Eric Manokore, Ian Nyoni, Rodwell Chinyengetere and Hastings Chapusha all converted for Caps while Andrew Mbeba, Melikhaya Ncube and Mckinnon Mushore took for Highlanders.
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Caps coach Lloyd Chitembwe was elated after the win.
"It was a very good game of football. You can never control a game for the entire 90 minutes. You will have your moments and your opponents will have theirs. I am happy we had our moments in the first half and we were able to create opportunities and score.
“Later on in the second half like we predicted they were obviously going to come at us. We knew the quality that we have in our team, going to the penalties we knew that we had enough nerve to manage those situations. I am happy with Ashley (Rayners) and it vindicates our decision of making that change. I'm extremely happy from that viewpoint," Chitembwe said.
For Bosso, Baltemar Brito was a disappointed man after seeing his side getting dumped out of the competition.
"This is football. Sometimes the players are efficient, sometimes they are not. I think the second half was good. We scored the two goals but they were not enough for us to win in penalties. Congratulations to Caps United," Brito said.
In regulation time, Caps United got the opener through a Clive Rupiya header at the near post from a corner-kick to beat an off-guard Highlanders goalkeeper Raphael Pitisi.
Rupiya got his second in the 40th minute with another header at the same spot coming to the end of a free-kick to put the Green Machine on the driving seat.
A rejuvenated Highlanders got their first goal in the 54th minute through Mbongeni Ndlovu following a goalmouth scramble after Caps United failed to defend a Mbeba cross from a free-kick.
Mbeba equalised for Highlanders in the 63rd with a blistering shot from outside the box after Highlanders were awarded a free-kick by referee Brighton Chimene.
The better part of the first half was characterised by pendulum action with play swinging from one end to the other, albeit, with little goalmouth action from either side.
A chance for Caps United came on the half-hour mark but Joseph Tulani miscued from outside the penalty area after being set up by Rodwell Chinyegetere who troubled the Highlanders defence.
Two minutes later, Highlanders' Elshamar Farasi dilly-dallied with the ball inside the box and the Caps defence quickly made a clearance before he could find balance to shoot.
Hoping for better luck in the second half, Brito who took charge of the Warriors in Botswana on Saturday, replaced Farasi with Chikuhwa.
In the 51st minute, Chikuhwa was thwarted by Caps goalkeeper Mateyaunga after being set up by Mckinnon Mushore as Highlanders desperately searched for the elusive goal.
In the 58th minute, goalkeeper Pitisi came to Highlanders' rescue, punching away for a corner-kick a Chinyengetere left-footer.
On the hour mark, Mckinnon for the Bulawayo giants blasted the ball over the bar after he was sent through by Ray Lunga as Highlanders continued with their onslaught on the visitors.
Teams
Highlanders: R Pitisi, A Mbeba, A Faira, M Ndlovu, P Muduhwa, M Mushore, R Lunga (R Kutsanzira 71'), E Farasi (L Chikuhwa 46') W Navaya, M Mushore, M Ncube
Caps United: T Mateyaunga (A Rayners 90+2'), E Manokore, I Zambezi, H Chapusha, L Mongayira, D Chafa, B Sarupinda (C Sithole 80'), J Tulani, P Bamusi (J Daka 64'), C Rupiya (I Nyoni 90+2'),0 R Chinyengetere
