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BEATEN CLEAN . . . CAPS United ’keeper Tafadzwa Dube goes the wrong way as he is beaten from the penalty spot during the shoot-out in the Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-final match at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday

Augustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
THERE was a time when CAPS United were the Cup Kings but today they have turned into chokers, when it comes to knock-out tournaments, after their latest quest to win a trophy ended in familiar heartbreaking fashion on a rain-swept afternoon at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.

For the second year running, the Green Machine collapsed in the semi-finals of the Mbada Diamonds Cup, leaving thousands of their fans shell-shocked on Sunday as little How Mine continued their giant-killing act with a victory secured via the penalty shoot-out lottery.
CAPS United have only won one major trophy in the last eight years, the inaugural BancABC Sup8r Cup in 2009, when Jostein Mathuthu led them to a 2-1 victory over Lengthens whose goalkeeper, that afternoon, was Ephraim “Mopao” Mazarura.

Mazarura was in the How Mine goal on Sunday as he saved one penalty, and converted another in the shoot-out, to power his team to their finest hour in their debut season in the Premiership on Sunday.

After seeing their dream of winning the Mbada Diamonds Cup slip down the How Mine tunnel, CAPS United said they will now focus on having a very strong finish in the Castle Lager Premiership campaign.

The Mbada Diamonds Cup competition had presented the Green Machine with the best possible route back to the Africa inter-club tournament and bring a trophy into their cabinet but How Mine held their nerve, in the shoot-out, to march into the final where they will meet Highlanders.

How Mine will now play in the Caf Confederation Cup next year, if they accept the offer, since Highlanders remain ineligible for the competition because of a three-year ban imposed on them after Zifa bungled in registering them for a tournament they did not want to play in.

CAPS United had appeared on course to complete a hat-trick over How Mine when Rahman Kutsanzira put them into the lead in the first half, but the Bulawayo side rallied from behind when Warren Dube evened the scores before a cracker from Menard Mupera gave the gold miners control.

A header by Tawanda Nyamandwe forced a penalty shoot-out where How Mine won 4-2 to storm into the final while CAPS United coach Taurai Mangwiro now focuses on a tricky league clash against Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.

“It’s tough luck but we have tried very hard and really wanted to go all the way. We now shift focus to the league where we still have three matches to go.

“Let us look at our next match against Black Rhinos and we would like to finish the season strongly like I have always said,” said Mangwiro.
Mangwiro said he would be happy if CAPS United manage to get a top four finish at the end of the season as they currently trail pacesetters Dynamos by five points. CAPS United are fifth on 45 points while Dynamos have 49 points.

“There are three more games in the league and we would want to see how we finish the season. We have done fairly given the conditions we work in.

“I am sure we have surpassed the expectations of many people and we had given ourselves a very good chance (in the Mbada Diamonds Cup) and we will look back and say this is an opportunity blown away.

“We knew very well that our season’s success hinged on the result in the Mbada Cup,” said Mangwiro.
It’s very likely that the Green Machine will end the season empty-handed.

While CAPS United are licking their wounds, How Mine could be following in the footsteps of Mwana Africa who played in the Caf inter-club competition in their second season in the top-flight league.

Mwana Africa won the CBZ FA Cup in their maiden season in the PSL in 2006 and in 2007 they played in Caf Confederation Cup where they were knocked before the mini-league stage by TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

How Mine remain camped in Harare as they wait to fulfil their league assignment against Monomotapa at Gwanzura on Thursday.
James Zibowa, the How Mine secretary, yesterday said they would be meeting as an executive before approaching their sponsors Mettallon Gold.

“We are yet to meet as an executive and find out more on the Caf Confederation Cup slot. I think we should be getting more details from the PSL and Zifa on the position.

“But naturally we could be happy to take up the slot, although that will depend on the support we will be getting from our sponsors.
“So for now, no decision has been taken yet until we sit down as a committee,” said Zibowa.

How Mine midfielder, Mupera, said his classic goal against CAPS United was not a fluke as he has been practicing the long range efforts in the build-up to the game.

The former Black Rhinos and Highlanders midfielder, one of the stars of the Premiership this season, struck a fierce shot from outside the box as Chikurupati took the lead.

“It was not a wild shot but I had spent the whole week practising long range efforts and it paid off for me,” he said.
Exactly 10 years ago, a young Mupera scored from a similar position when Black Rhinos drew 1-1 against Raja Casablanca in the Caf Confederation at Rufaro.

“I think I have a reputation for taking such shots and I have a record of scoring against CAPS United from my days at Black Rhinos. Even when I played for Highlanders, I would regularly score against CAPS United.

“Now the game against Highlanders in the final should be tough. We had lost twice to CAPS United in the league but we won the Cup competition and we have beaten Highlanders twice in the league but it will be a different game in the Cup final,” said Mupera.

Mupera said he was happy that How Mine had stormed into the final of a major Cup competition in their debut season in the league.
“Up to now we are still underdogs but we are happy to reach this far,” said Mupera.

Highlanders beat Harare City 5-3 on penalties on Saturday to book their first ever berth in the Mbada Diamonds Cup final likely to be at Barbourfields.