IF CAPS United fans have started dreaming their team can end eight years of waiting by winning this year’s Castle Lager Premiership crown, they can look to prolonged periods of this match, when the Green Machine produced some quality stuff, as evidence to back their optimism. But there were familiar failings, too, which will leave others doubtful that the Class of 2003 can do it - a frustrating failure to convert loads of chances, a fatal tendency to lose concentration when it matters most and vulnerability at the back as and when they came under sustained moments of pressure. Somehow, what was supposed to have been a stroll in the park, on the back of the dominance and the chances they created, turned into a nervy finish and there was relief at the end, among their fans, when the referee blew to end the match. For Taurai Mangwiro, what matters is that his team won again, after two games in which they had dropped points on the road with a draw in Bulawayo, albeit in controversial circumstances against Highlanders, and a good fight to snatch a draw at the Colliery against Hwange. It’s eight games now for the coach and his men, without losing a league match, and if you want to find a similar consistent run by the Green Machine, you might have go back some four or so years, when Method Mwanjali and Nyasha Mushekwi were still part of this team. Whether Mangwiro, whose team last lost when they were beaten 0-1 by rivals Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium, can go on and win the league championship for the Green Machine, remains to be seen but they are taking some good steps going forward and they need to be respected now as a force that can win the big one. Yesterday, they didn’t have a man who has been their best player for the better part of this year, goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube, who had been away with the national team where he didn’t play even a single minute at the Cosafa Cup show in Zambia, but they still found a way to beat a team that had become their bogey side. You have to go some four years back, when Zimbabwe were still the champions in the Cosafa Cup and when CAPS United provided the bulk of the players who beat Zambia 3-1 at Rufaro, to find the last time that the Green Machine had beaten Monoz. But times change and there is something in this Green Machine team that brings out the promise of a better tomorrow and while it’s not the finished product yet, they are slowly getting it right and there is a youthful enthusiasm about their project which provides the hope. CAPS United’s best player, on view yesterday, was winger Benson Maglas, who is the younger brother of former midfielder Rabson Masauso, and when you keep picking out such unpolished diamonds, you know that it’s just a question of time before everything gels. Goals in either half from forward Dominic Chungwa in the 19th minute and a 47th minute penalty converted by Moses Muchenje, who made sure he added a bit of style to the conversion, powered CAPS United to a crucial victory. Monoz midfielder Meson Nelson pulled one back in the 73rd minute, rolling the ball between the legs of the ‘keeper, but all it did was produce a nervy finish which the Green Machine could have long avoided had they taken a glut of chances that came their way. Monoz had been disappointing for long periods in the first half, just hanging on and showing very little in terms of fighting spirit, and they surely missed Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo although Kuda Musharu should be commended for the way that he fought a lonely but brave fight. Sadly, striker Ishmael Lawe appeared to be engrossed in his own world and contributed very little to the team and the only surprise was that he even re-emerged, after the break, to take his place in the team when his contribution was zero. By the time coach Biggie Zuze decided to pull him out, it was too late but, for some strange reason, Lawe saw a lot of faults in that decision and threw a water bottle on the turf in frustration. Monoz can do better with players who show more commitment to their cause than such men. This was a CAPS United show, and with some bit of clinical finishing, the Green Machine could have won by a bigger margin, and we talking about five or six goals, but their strikers, led by former Monomotapa frontman Tawanda Nyamandwe, missed a number of good chances. Nyamandwe can be a handful but, when he is off form, he also can be a liability to his team and he produced the miss of the day, if not of the entire Premiership season this year, in the 36th minute after he was set up by Maglas. The ‘keeper was nowhere in sight and all he needed was to tap the ball in, somehow he decided he needed to give it height, and a touch of class, which is something that his skills cannot be trusted to execute, and he blazed his effort over the bar. Incredible! CAPS United assistant coach Brenna “BaGari” Msiska said they were still working on producing a Green Machine that can challenge for honours. “Three points are crucial for us and God was on our side again. We played well and the scoreline is not a true reflection of the match in terms of goals. “We will go back to the drawing board and try to teach them how to score. We just want to collect points and see how it goes. We are not concentrating on what other teams are doing,” said Msiska. Monomotapa coach Biggie Zuze commended his young players for a good show. “Both teams played well but CAPS United had an upper hand especially in the first half. They created a lot of chances in that half. While we came back organised in the second half and wasted two clear chances. “I am happy with the way the youngsters played. Since l joined Monomotapa three years back this is my first defeat to CAPS United,” said Zuze. The match began with the Green Machine dominating and they could have been rewarded, on a number of occasions, in the opening minutes. After quarter of an hour, it was Monomotapa who were settled and on the hunt when Musharu released a good ball to Agrippa Murimba who was denied by the woodwork with CAPS goalie Jorum Muchambo nowhere in sight. Three minutes later, it was CAPS United who were rewarded, when former Hippo Valley man Chungwa bustled away from two markers to fire home. In the 24th minute, CAPS United had a penalty appeal when Maglas was fouled in the box but referee Pedzisai Chadya waved play on. Reports in the stadium indicated that Chadya had been forced to pay his way into the ground, after misplacing his identity card, and the more decisions he gave against the Green Machine, the more the conspiracy theorists had a field day. Nyamandwe was involved in the next big moment when his selfishness, for a change, paid dividends when he was fouled inside the area and the referee shamed the conspiracy theorists by giving the Green Machine a penalty. CAPS United gave their teenage Malawian, Gerald Phiri, his home debut and he came close, after sneaking into the box, only to see his angled effort kiss the post. Monomotapa tried to claw back into the game after they scored and gave the hosts some anxious moments and even the ball boys had a trick or two as they tried to delay the match. TEAMS CAPS United: J. Muchambo, T. Kumbuyani, S. Makatuka,T. Munyanduri, M. Muchenje,R. Pfumbidzai, T. Samanja, B. Maglas (G. Phiri 57th minute), R. Kutsanzira (D. Rediyoni 80th minute), D. Chungwa (L. Fiyado 63rd minute), T. Nyamandwe. Monomotapa: T. Zvaitwa, O. Mwerahari (C. Rukwanhi 25th minute),L. Sithole, M. Mungombe, H. Mugoniwa, P. Tonha(I. Wach 57th minute), Z. Biseki, M. Nelson, K. Mahachi, A. Murimba, I. Lawe (T. Munetsi 61st minute). #gdn
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 08:23:18 +0000
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