The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
Bulawayo Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 3
Caps United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 3
CAPS United coach Darlington Dodo was left to lament his team’s shaky defence when the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title chasers dropped two vital points when they were held by Bulawayo Chiefs in a six goal feast at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
The draw saw Makepekepe lose top spot to Chicken Inn, with the two teams on 38 points but the Gamecocks, who defeated defending champions FC Platinum 2-1 at Mandava at the apex of the log because of a superior goal difference. Amakhosi Amahle moved off the bottom of the log, with Yadah, in action tomorrow against ZPC Kariba at Rufaro now occupying the last spot in the standings.
Hughe Chikosa scored a brace for his team, with the other goal coming from Shadreck Nyahwa. Not to be outdone by Chikosa, John Zhuwawo also struck a double for the visitors with Joel Ngodzo also on target.
Dodo grieved over the way his defence allowed Chiefs to score the three goals, something he felt was terrible.
“It was a good game but I think we gave away two points with the way we defended today, we were so porous and it was bad,’’ lamented Dodo at the end of the match.
He thought with their display in the first half, they did not deserve to win and they vastly improved in the second period.
“Going forward I think we really changed. The way we played in the first half, we were out of sorts and we did not do anything that deserved us to win the game but when we regrouped at half-time we tried to out our act together and there was a vast change.”
Thulani Sibanda, the Chiefs coach described the match as one they actually wanted to win, with blunders in defence denying them the three points.
“I think it’s a game that we really wanted to win, we gave our best, unfortunately some mistakes at the back cost us but in terms of application we did apply ourselves, we did not sit back,’’ Sibanda said.
Chikosa thrust Chiefs into the lead with eight minutes played from the penalty spot, which was awarded by referee Hardly Ndazi for a hand ball by Justice Jangano.
Ngodzo levelled matters in the 26th minute with a brilliantly taken free kick from outside the box when the ball was laid for him by skipper Hardlife Zvirekwi.
Nyahwa made sure Chiefs had the lead going into half-time when he broke free and chipped the ball over Caps United goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba.
Zhuwawu headed in a Zvirekwi cross in the 59th minute and again the scores were level at 2-2.
Chikosa put Chiefs in the lead but Caps refused to back down, with Zhuwawo profiting from a defensive blunder by Isaac Badu to make sure Makepekepe walked away with a point.
Teams
Bulawayo Chiefs: D Bizabani, B Mpofu, M Mkolo, S Dube, I Badu(Astu 80 mins), A Musiyiwa, H Chikosa (Zvakavapano 90+1 mins) , L Ndlela, D
Shumbanhete (Mhlanga 54 mins), S Nyahwa, F Matare.
Caps United: P Chigumba, J Jangano, V Musarurwa, M Mwanjale, H Zvirekwi, J Ngodzo, B Sarupinda
(Nyamupfukudza 80 mins), J Ngodzo, P Bamusi (Chungwa 89 mins), C Rupiya (Chitiyo 80 mins),
J Zhuwawu.
@Mdawini_29
