CAPS United coach Takesure Chiragwi is basking in the glow of a perfect start to his tenure after guiding the Harare giants to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over debutants Agama FC at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
The result signals a shift in fortunes for Makepekepe — the third most successful club in Zimbabwean football history — after three consecutive seasons spent battling relegation.
Chiragwi, a former CAPS United player, returned to the club with a high profile after leading Ngezi Platinum Stars to the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title and the Castle Challenge Cup.
Backed by significant off-season investment from club owner Farai Jere, the new coach has been tasked with restoring the Green Machine to its former glory, with expectations already rising for a serious title challenge.
Chiragwi said securing maximum points on the opening day was important for the confidence of the entire club.
"It’s very important, you know, as a coach. I think it’s very, very important to start with a win," he said in a post-match briefing.
"That brings confidence to the supporters, confidence to the management, confidence to the players, even ourselves. We get the confidence and the motivation to keep on pushing and do better every day."
Veteran winger Ishmael Wadi proved the hero of the afternoon with a performance befitting his national team pedigree.
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Wadi opened the scoring early in the first half with a clinical header, but the debutants refused to be intimidated.
Agama’s Ralph Nyamupurika stunned the home crowd shortly after the interval, levelling the score and forcing Chiragwi to turn to his bench.
The decisive moment came from a bold substitution.
Chiragwi introduced 16-year-old striker Alleny Mukombedzi, who needed just three minutes to make his mark.
Set up by a pinpoint pass from Wadi, the teenager controlled the ball before calmly slotting home the winner.
Chiragwi was particularly touched by Wadi’s celebration after opening the scoring, which saw the winger sprint half the length of the pitch to embrace him at the dugout.
"It shows the relationship with the technical team and also the players,” he said.
“There’s a very good working rapport and understanding. Wadi is a top player. He’s one of the national team players and has been to Afcon, so everyone looks up to him. If he performs like that, then we are happy.”
The coach also highlighted his commitment to youth development after the contributions of Mukombedzi and 18-year-old defensive midfielder Kunashe Chando, who helped stabilise the game late on.
“We brought in the young under-17 striker, Alleny Mukombedzi, and he gave us the match-winner. That’s his job — to score goals — and he has been doing that in training,” Chiragwi said.
“Then, when we wanted to stabilise the game, we introduced another 18-year-old to give us energy and balance in midfield. It was their first game and their debut at this level. We just need to keep pushing them.”
The result leaves Caps United at the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table, ahead of Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars on alphabetical order.
Simba Bhora and ZPC Kariba also recorded opening-day wins, suggesting an intriguing title race could be brewing.
Caps United remain in the capital this weekend as they prepare for a Matchday Two clash against Herentals FC.
