The Sunday News
Brighton Zhawi
Caps United …………………………………(0) 1
Tsholotsho…………………………………..(1) 1
(Tsholotsho progress 5-4 on penalties)
THE Caps United camp exploded again over unpaid salaries and the club paid the price as they were dumped out of the Chibuku Super Cup at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Kick off was delayed by over 35 minutes as Makepekepe players refused to take to the park until they were paid their outstanding salaries.
The standoff turned ugly as some Caps United fans tried to storm the team bus and beat up the players whom they accused of lacking loyalty.
“These boys are big headed, they are now making a habit of bringing the name of the team into disrepute and it’s high time we teach them a lesson or two,” an irate fan could be heard saying as tempers flared.
However, the police stood firm and after some lengthy talks Lloyd Chitembwe’s charges finally agreed to step onto the park.
But they never looked to be in it and fell behind early in the first half as Bruno Madanhira beat Edmore Sibanda in goals for the hosts.
Sibanda was stretchered off the pitch on 36 minutes with an injury and in came Jorum Muchambo.
Makepekepe looked a much better lot in the second half and restored parity in the 75th minute through left back Ronald Pfumbidzai.
Pfumbidzai used his celebration to send a message to wish his mum a speedy recovery, pulling out a paper written “get well soon mom, this is for you” from his socks.
The left back almost grabbed the winner in the 90th minute, but was denied by the impressive Tsholotsho goalkeeper Nickel Marichi who produced a superb acrobatic save to keep his team in the game.
Penalties were needed and the visitors scored all of their five kicks through Nicholas Mundandishe, Mostafa Ponyera, Madanhire, Trust Nyabinde and MacClive Phiri calmly scored the winner.
Hardlife Zvirekwi was the villain for Makepekepe missing his team’s first penalty before Pfumbidzai, Joel Ngodzo, Devon Chafa and Dennis Dauda converted.
Tsholotsho coach Lizwe Sweswe revealed that his team is fancying its chances in the Chibuku Super Cup.
Sweswe rubbished suggestions that his team benefited from the chaos rocking the Caps United camp.
“We all have problems, so we can’t blame that (for their defeat) because if they had problems they would not have come to the ground. They came meaning they were prepared to play.
“The difference was that we came out with a plan on how to contain them and our target is to reach the finals and win this competition,” he said.
Caps United coach Chitembwe side stepped the media and left assistant coach Mark Mathe to field the questions.
“We were slow off the blocks, I thought in the second half we changed the form, made tactical changes and got back into the game hence we equalised.
“We could have gone on to win the game but Tsholotsho defended well,” said Mathe who refused to comment on the pre-match drama.
“I can’t comment on that one.”
