Caps United . . . .(0)1 Harare City. . . . .(1)1
TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
CAPS United had to come from behind to rescue a point against relegation-threatened Harare City in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Despite settling for a draw, Caps United, who play their last match of the campaign against log leaders ZPC Kariba, qualified for the Mbada Diamonds Cup at the end of the league programme while Harare City remains in the relegation zone.
Last season, ironically, it was Caps United who denied City the league title on the last day of the season and now it seems the Green Machine are pushing them to the Northern Region Division One.
Caps United remain in third place on 50 points with one match left before the end of the term while Harare City now have 35 points, the same as Shabanie Mine who emerged 2-1 winners over Highlanders at Maglas yesterday.
Harare City started brightly carving out good chances with Tendai Ngulube and Francesco Zekumbawira coming close in the ninth and 13th minutes respectively.
Godknows Mangani also missed a headed opportunity from a cross by Tapiwa Khumbuyani in the 18th minute.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
But Agrippa Murimba thrust the Sunshine City Boys into the lead on 28 minutes profiting from a set-up by Zekumbawira to beat goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube with a simple tap-in when the Caps defence went to sleep.
Caps United players, always second to the ball in the first half, looked jaded and even their body language spoke of a team that had nothing to play for.
However, they upped their game in the second half as they poured forward in numbers looking for an equaliser.
It did come in the 64th minute with Ronald Pfumbidzai hitting the nets with a low ground shot that beat goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupanedengu.
But Caps United coach Taurai Mangwiro blasted his charges for their attitude afterwards.
“We had to dig deeper to rescue a point, but I didn’t like the body language of the players in the first half,” he said.
“I saw a team that was playing as if they didn’t want to win. We would want to win and we will give it our best shot in our last match.”
His opposite number Masimba Dinyero admitted they had lost two vital points, but was confident his team would survive relegation.
“We still have one game and I am confident we will collect maximum points and that will guarantee our safety,” he said.
“We were complacent after we scored, but when they equalised we raised our game. Unfortunately we couldn’t get maximum points.”
