History favours CAPS Utd Lloyd Chitembwe
Lloyd Chitembwe

Lloyd Chitembwe

Sports Reporter
A DOZEN years have passed since CAPS United and Highlanders battled in that unforgettable back-to-back blockbuster which produced 13 goals — providing a goal every 13 minutes of a showdown high in drama and quality — including one from goalkeeper Tapiwa Kapini.

The two fiery contests, a six-goal thriller abandoned in the last-minute at Barbourfields and a seven-goal feast at the National Sports Stadium, provided a benchmark of greatness for an epic series that is now known as the Battle of the Cities.

CAPS United’s 3-4 defeat at the hands of Highlanders at the giant stadium in 2004 was the Green Machine’s only loss, in a league match, all season that year as Charles Mhlauri and his men powered to the league title.

“History will record that in that season, CAPS United were virtually unbeatable, losing only one game, we amassed the highest points score of any team in the history of the Premiership, a points score that has never come close to being beaten since, the most goals scored and the best defence, we won with five games to spare in a season that must go down as one of the greatest in our history,” the then CAPS United chairman, banker Andy Hodges, recalls.

“We won every Cup on offer and were voted the most popular team in the nation, even beating Highlanders and Dynamos countrywide as per the public votes at OK Supermarkets.

“We went on to win, I believe, for the first time, the PSL Soccer Star of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year awards and we had a total of 16 players out of the 23 in various national team squads.”

CAPS United would win the league championship again, the following year, but since then the Green Machine have been battling, in vain, to become kings of domestic football.

This year, though, Makepekepe believe they have the muscle to fight and win the league title and, on Sunday, their pedigree will be put to test when Highlanders roll into town for another Battle of the Cities showdown.

CAPS United are unbeaten in their National Sports Stadium fortress, in a league match, since Lloyd Chitembwe — who was part of the triumphant Green Machine in 2004 and 2005 as a player — returned for another romantic flirtation with the club where he won three league titles.

Chitembwe was recruited last year to return as the club’s head coach after CAPS United had endured a barren spell and, since his arrival, his men are yet to lose a league match on home soil in the 12 games they have played.

Along the way they have thrashed Highlanders 3-1, at the giant stadium last year, and they host a resurgent Bosso, who are bubbling with confidence after a good run in the league where they are among the top two teams in the championship race.

Highlanders also beat CAPS United 1-0 in the reverse league encounter at Barbourfields after Leonard Tsipa, who was part of the cast of players who featured in those two great battles 12 years ago, suffered a rush of blood and was sent off after head-butting an opponent.

Tsipa has since apologised for his madness, something which many neutrals believe was the turning point in that contest which CAPS United controlled for long periods, but his team will still pay a huge cost given that he is unavailable for Sunday’s match.

But the Green Machine have history in their favour ahead of that clash with CAPS United having only lost twice, at home, in their battles against Bosso since those unforgettable battles in 2004.

CAPS United have won eight of the 12 home league matches they have played against Highlanders since 2004, drawn two and lost two, scoring 25 goals and conceding 12.

Bosso have won twice in Harare, in their league matches against Makepekepe since 2004, drawn twice and lost eight matches, scoring 12 goals and conceding 25.

In the past two league matches played in the capital between the two giants, CAPS United have scored seven goals and conceded only one, beating Bosso 3-1 last year and thrashing their rivals 4-0 two years ago.

CAPS United beat Highlanders 2-1 in 2013; 3-1 in 2011; 3-1 in 2010; 4-1 in 2008; 1-0 in 2007; 2-1 in 2006 while losing 3-4 in 2004 and 0-2 in 2012 with the matches in 2009 and 2005 ending in draws.

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