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Lloyd Chitembwe

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe, faced with a congested fixture programme on the domestic and continental fronts, has revealed that he has chosen to prioritise the Champions League assignments as his side also grapples with a growing injury list.

Chitembwe has had to constantly tinker with his 25-man squad as he tries to strike a balance between Castle Lager Premiership duties and the Champions League Group assignments in which they are seeking a top-two finish in a tricky pool that includes Egyptian giants Zamalek, crack Algerian outfit USM Alger and Libya’s perennial campaigners Al Ahli Tripoli.

CAPS United’s Champions League campaign will reach the half-way mark on Friday afternoon when they host Al Ahli Tripoli at the National Sports Stadium.

The match will get underway at 3pm with CAPS United retaining the entry fees they charged when they hosted USM Alger at the same venue last Wednesday where the cheapest ticket was going for $5.

While the CAPS United administration is running around to ensure they meet the Confederation of African Football expectations in terms of staging the encounter and have appealed to the fans across the domestic divide to come in numbers, Chitembwe and his technical staff have their own worries.

The reigning Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Coach of the Year told The Herald yesterday that he had put his priority on ensuring CAPS United succeed in the Champions League first before turning his full attention to their domestic championship defence.

This comes as CAPS United have had to play more midweek games as they feature in a catch-up race to the rest of the Premiership.

While the majority of the clubs in the 18-team league are now preparing for Match Day 12 next weekend, CAPS United, who are 14th on the log table, have played seven games.

Makepekepe have seen a number of matches including their clashes against Chicken Inn, Bantu Rovers, FC Platinum and lately Black Rhinos postponed to make way for their Champions League assignments.

The non-availability of the National Sports Stadium due to a decision by the stadium authorities to close the facility from football on May 7 and pave way for a church event, meant that their famous Harare Derby against Dynamos was also postponed.

CAPS United’s cause has also not been helped by a growing injury list.

Faced with this dilemma, Chitembwe who has not made any secret of his desire to see his generation of players succeed against the continent’s big boys such as Zamalek and USM Alger, wants to dispose of the Champions League business first.

Chitembwe said he will be hoping that their team doctor will give him positive news this afternoon when he concludes his assessment of the players who have been hobbling with one injury or another.

The CAPS United gaffer has injury concerns for big goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda, centre back Denis Dauda, right back and skipper Hardlife Zvirekwi, left back Valentine Musarurwa and midfielders Devon Chafa and Tafadzwa Rusike.

Veteran striker Leonard Tsipa is also still sidelined by injury and was not part of the team that did duty in the 1-1 draw against Triangle at Gibbo on Sunday where Chitembwe made six changes to the side that started against USM Alger in the Champions League.

“I will be in a position to ascertain the extent of the injuries after meeting with our doctor tomorrow and after our afternoon training because we had also given the guys a day off following our game in Triangle.

“We have a 25-man squad and a lot of games and we are trying to manage the situation by changing our teams and resting some players in some PSL games and that is why I didn’t want to risk Rooney (Ronald Chitiyo).

“For me the most important games at the moment are the Champions League assignments because in the Champions League we have only four teams in a group and we can’t afford to slip up at all.

“We have to make the most of our matches in that group,’’ Chitembwe said.

The CAPS United legend, however, insisted that his principle should not be misconstrued to mean he was undermining the domestic Premiership in any manner.

“The PSL matches are also very important to us, but all I am saying is that in the PSL you can afford to slip and then pick up again because there are still a lot of matches to be played.

“But you cannot afford such a luxury of picking up again in the Champions League,’’ Chitembwe said.

CAPS United might be in 14th place with 10 points from seven matches and 15 behind current leaders Ngezi Platinum who have played 11, but the Green Machine know they have to continue avoiding defeats in their outstanding games when they start their catch-up marathon.

And given the manner in which the Champions League Group B is delicately poised, Chitembwe has every justification to feel he needs to first dispense of the audacious bid to secure a quarter-final place in the continent’s biggest inter-club competition before shifting to the challenges posed by Bantu Rovers, Chicken Inn, Black Rhinos and FC Platinum who are still waiting in ambush.

On the Champions League Group B standings, only a point separate second-placed CAPS United from leaders Zamalek with four points, while USM Alger also have three points, but an inferior head-to-head record with the Zimbabwe champions.

The Libyans might be bottom of the group, but they are still very much in the reckoning, having gained a crucial point from a 0-0 draw against Zamalek at their adopted home in Tunisia.