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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
DESPITE losing the Harare Derby to rivals Dynamos, CAPS United got one of their biggest cheques on the domestic scene at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday when the big game grossed $96 800.

A total of 18 007 fans paid their way to watch the first instalment of the blockbuster match. And after a deduction of $33 200 from the combined levies of 15 percent for the stadium, the Sports Commission levy, ZIFA and PSL levies, the club was left with a net amount of $63 600.

It was not clear yesterday how much the club further deducted from their purse to cater for the direct costs such as police and gate marshals. But Sunday’s match surpassed last year’s Harare Derbies and this year’s Champions League match against TP Mazembe. Last year, the first edition of the Harare Derby at Rufaro in May grossed $78 000 after 14 000 fans paid to watch the game.

It was the biggest pay cheque last season in top-flight football. The reverse fixture of the Harare Derby at the National Sports Stadium in October, which ended 3-3, had 10 000 paying their way to watch the game.

But CAPS United, who hiked the cheapest ticket on Sunday to $5, still enjoyed commendable support even though the match was also broadcast on SuperSport.

The only blemish was that the POS machines, which were availed by the club on Sunday, went offline and some fans were caught unaware. The EcoCash platform was working smoothly while some were forced to fork out cash.

The champions have turned their focus to tomorrow’s outstanding match against Bulawayo City at Hartsfield. CAPS United assistant coach Fungai “Tostao” Kwashi said the defeat was now water under the bridge and they are looking forward to the next matches, starting with the mid-week fixture.

“This game is water under the bridge, it wasn’t our day, but we cannot keep crying and mourning and giving excuses, we just have to solider on as men and look forward to the next encounters and quickly erase this out of our mind.

“Yes, as much as it hurts we have to stay positive keep working hard and running our race. “All I can do is to look forward to the next encounter, which is Bulawayo City on Wednesday, and we hope we will get our three points. “We hope to work hard, it is going to be a tough battle, they are no easy teams at all.”

The Green Machine chief striker Dominic Chungwa, who sat out Sunday’s game through suspension, will be back for the game against Bulawayo City.

“The Champions League made us lose quality players in Ronald Chitiyo and Abbas Amidu, the Champions League took part of our attack, but we just have to keep soldiering on with the strikers we have,” said Kwashi.

“John (Zhuwawu) and Chungwa have been doing well, Chidi (Abasirim) came in and I thought he had a decent performance with more service, I think he will come up well.”