For a club steeped in the romanticized tradition of being the "Cup Kings," Caps United’s modern relationship with knockout football has been a protracted exercise in frustration. Having last tasted league glory a decade ago, the Green Machine began the current campaign with a breathless fluency that briefly cast aside years of underachievement.
They topped the log standings, evoking memories of past triumphs and raising the expectations of their supporters to dizzying heights.
Yet, that early promise has steadily unravelled.
A 4–2 victory over Highlanders at the weekend provided a rare moment of catharsis, but it was merely their third win in 15 matches—a slide that has seen them tumble to sixth place, eleven points adrift of leaders Scottland with a game in hand and only nine matches remaining.
With the league title now little more than a mathematical impossibility, the club has decisively pivoted toward domestic cup competitions, viewing them as an essential vehicle for redemption and a means to appease their restless fans. Speaking on the sidelines of the Chibuku Super Cup draw in Harare yesterday, Caps United chief executive officer Morton Dodzo laid bare the psychological and institutional stakes facing the team.
"This is an opportunity for Caps United," Dodzo reflected. "This season, expectations were very high because the team started pretty well. This is the platform for the team to appease its fans, to redeem ourselves. So we would want to promise all fans, all stakeholders and investors that in this edition, this year, we are going to do better and we are going to do well."
Caps United remain a glaring anomaly in the modern era of domestic football.
Despite their storied history, they have never won the Chibuku Super Cup since its relaunch in 2014, standing alone as the country's only traditional giant yet to claim the trophy.
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Their best modern efforts include reaching the tournament semi-finals in 2023, interspersed with a litany of early exits and group-stage eliminations. Dodzo, however, insists that the narrative is ripe for rewriting.
"We want to compete and our wish is to win it this time around," he asserted. "The reason why we want to win is because, like I said, we want to make our fans happy. We also want to make our other stakeholders happy. We also want to guarantee return on what has been invested by the shareholders. So we are ready. This is a good opportunity for us."
The veteran football administrator also took the opportunity to express gratitude to Delta Beverages for their enduring commitment to the league, while welcoming the introduction of the inaugural Zifa Munhumutapa Cup, which reaches its Round of 32 stage this weekend.
Caps United face lower-tier side Scottland U19 in Saturday's fixture at Baobab Stadium in Mhondoro, a contest that carries profound continental implications, as the tournament winners will secure a coveted ticket to represent the country in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup.
"You see... this is a do or die tournament for us," Dodzo explained. "We have been very ambitious this season to say our target is to play international football either by winning the league or by winning this inaugural Zifa Munhumutapa Cup. So it's a chance for us and we are not going to waste the opportunity. We are going to do our best and I'm confident we are going to win it."
Moreover, Dodzo believes the timing of the weekend fixture could not be more auspicious following their comprehensive dismissal of Highlanders.
"Yeah, I think this is the right time," he said. "It's a very good feeling to win so it's good to get into a tournament with a feeling like this. It motivates the boys and it also gives them the spirit to keep fighting and winning."
Looking ahead to the Chibuku Super Cup first round over the weekend of August 15–16, Caps United were handed a daunting pairing against Simba Bhora, whom they face next weekend.
The two sides previously shared the spoils in a 1-all league draw back in May. "It's a fair draw," Dodzo noted. "Simba Bhora is a tough team but when we were coming to this draw, we were expecting such an outcome, to get any team so we are very happy with it."
Simba Bhora club administrator Isah Parichi is similarly anticipating a bruising encounter, though he remains quietly confident, banking on his team's good record at Rufaro Stadium to carry the day.
Like their opponents, the 2024 league champions find themselves entirely out of the title race, rendering the Chibuku Super Cup and the Zifa Munhumutapa Cup their remaining avenue to silverware.
"Yeah, it's going to be a tough game, and also it being an away match makes it even tougher for us," Parichi admitted. "But I'm sure the coaches will put good plans in place so that we get a win. The good thing is that their home ground Rufaro Stadium has been our hunting ground in recent times. We've had a fair share of good results there, so we're banking on that as well. Obviously, we can't be talking about winning the league title at this stage, so our target is to make sure that we do well in these Cup games."
The wider Chibuku Super Cup draw delivered a slate of high-profile fixtures.
Former champions FC Platinum will lock horns with reigning league champions Scottland in a fixture thick with narrative tension, not least because Scottland are managed by former FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza. Meanwhile, Dynamos will begin their quest for a historic fourth consecutive Chibuku Super Cup title against either TelOne or Triangle, who contest a preliminary clash today at Mandava Stadium. DeMbare will be expected to extend their extraordinary dominance in the knockout tournament, while local pride simmers in the Bulawayo Derby as Highlanders prepare to meet Chicken Inn.
In other preliminary action, Manica Diamonds face Agama at Ngoni Stadium, with the victor advancing to face MWOS.
Under tournament regulations, the top eight teams on the league standings following matchday 17 were seeded for the draw, securing home advantage for the opening round.
Following the mid-August kick-offs, the quarter-finals are scheduled for September 12–13, paving the way for the semi-finals on October 31 and November 1, before the grand finale culminates on November 28 with a lucrative US$75,000 prize awaiting the ultimate victors.
For Caps United, the road ahead is fraught with difficulty, but it remains a golden highway to redemption.
Chibuku Super Cup first round draw
Scottland v FC Platinum, Hardrock v Bulawayo Chiefs, Caps Utd v Simba Bhora, Dynamos v Triangle/TelOne, Herentals v FC Hunters, Ngezi Platinum Stars v ZPC Kariba, MWOS v Agama/Manica Diamonds, Highlanders v Chicken Inn.
