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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
THIS afternoon’s CAF Champions League Group B battle at the National Sports Stadium might be the first in their history, but the adventures of CAPS United and USM Alger — on both the domestic and continental fronts — have, somehow, been intertwined for more than 20 years. And, for good measure, even the Green Machine’s biggest rivals Dynamos, some of whose fans sang in the corner of the old enemy when CAPS United last played a Champions League match at home against TP Mazembe, can also find a bit of similarities in their history to this invading army of Algerian giants.

Football or soccer, call it whatever you want, but what doesn’t change is that this is a grand old fascinating game.

So, where have the football paths, which CAPS United and USM Alger travelled so far in their endless quest for greatness, intertwined?

Well, the two clubs who clash in today’s Champions League showdown both celebrated a long overdue domestic championship success story in 1996 with CAPS United being crowned kings of Zimbabwean football while USM Alger also won the Algerian championship that same year.

Makepekepe’s league title in 1996 was their first in 17 years and only their second in history while USM Alger was their first in 33 years and just like the club they will battle this afternoon, only their second championship crown in their history.

CAPS United also won the domestic league championship in 2005, under coach Charles Mhlauri, and in the same year USM Alger were also crowned champions of Algeria after dominating the show to end 13 points clear of second-placed JS Kabylie.

And, as if they are Siamese twins, CAPS United and USM Alger were also crowned kings of their domestic championships last year which gave them the tickets to compete in this year’s CAF Champions League where, finally, their paths have crossed.

Maybe, their paths could have crossed exactly 20 years ago.

Back then CAPS United, just like USM Alger, were part of the CAF Champions League, but Makepekepe fell early in the tournament after crashing to a 1-3 aggregate defeat to South African giants Orlando Pirates.

The Green Machine lost the first leg, at the very National Sports Stadium where they troop into battle this afternoon, 1-2 to the Soweto giants and they couldn’t overturn that deficit, in the second leg, as they lost 0-1 in Johannesburg.

Orlando Pirates’ success, though, bought them a ticket into the group stages of that Champions League adventure in 1997 where they were drawn to face Raja Casablanca of Morocco, Primeiro Agosto of Angola and, of course, USM Alger of Algeria.

This means had CAPS beaten Pirates in their second round showdown, which could have given the Green Machine a ticket into the group stages, the Harare giants would have met USM Alger back in 1997.

The Algerians’ biggest victory the CAF Champions League came in 2004 when, in a second round, first leg tie in Algiers, they thrashed Burkinabe side ASFA Yennega 8-1 before a 2-2 draw in the second leg gave them a 10-3 aggregate victory.

CAPS United fans, of course, have fond memories of 2004 when the Green Machine ended an eight-year wait to add to their tally of league titles, winning the championship by a 15-point cushion over Highlanders, losing only one game all season and emerging unbeaten on the road throughout that campaign.

Of course, if you looking for any similarities with USM Alger that year, CAPS United hammered the then defending champions Amazulu 8-2 in their two league battles with both matches ending 4-1 in favour of Makepekepe.

Ageless forward Leonard Tsipa, who is still a part of the Green Machine squad, scored a hat-trick in Bulawayo and was on target twice in Harare.

Do I hear you asking, but where does Dynamos fit into all this as suggested above?

Well, the Glamour Boys, never far away from any discussion related to their biggest city rivals, won their first league championship in 1963 and, the same year, USM Alger also powered to their first league title.

USM Alger’s best run in the CAF Champions League came two years ago when they reached the final of the tournament only to lose 1-4 on aggregate to TP Mazembe, the last team that CAPS United played at home in the same tourney this year.

Just like Makepekepe, the Algerians have also had their controversy in their continental club adventure and they were banned for a year by CAF at the turn of the millennium after having been penalised for using an ineligible player, Burkinabe’s Siaka Coulibaly, in a match against JS du Tenere of Niger in the old African Cup Winners Cup.

The Harare giants were also punished in 2006 by CAF when they were thrown out of the CAF Champions League for having used two Malawians — George Martins and Gift Makoloni — who had not properly been registered for their game against Inter Stars of Burundi.

Death has also stalked Makepekepe’s adventure, on the domestic scene, with three of their players — Blessing “Yogo Yogo” Makunike, Gary Mashoko and Shingi Arlon — perished in a car crash as they travelled back home from a league match in Bulawayo in March 2004.

And USM Alger also made headlines around the world when they were involved in that match three years ago against JS Kabylie which resulted in the entire championship being suspended indefinitely following the death of Cameroonian forward Albert Ebosse.

The Cameroonian international striker died in hospital in August 2014 after he was hit by a rock thrown by a fan as he left the stadium in Tizi Ouzou after USM Alger had beaten the hosts 2-1 in a stormy match.

Ebosse had scored in that game, but his goal was not enough to save his team from defeat and Algerian football authorities gave his family $100 000 as compensation while also suspending the championship race indefinitely.