Zimpapers Logo

GUEST OF HONOUR . . . Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo (in grey jacket) is being introduced to CAPS United midfielder Tafadzwa Rusike by the Green Machine’s captain Hardlife Zvirekwi before yesterday’s CAF Champions League match against Lioli of Lesotho at the National Sports Stadium

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United legend Alois Bunjira said his former club needs a 20-goal per season striker who can sort out the club’s scoring problems. Bunjira, a great forward during his hey days, also said it was worrying the way the CAPS United’s strike-force is struggling to convert their chances. The local Premier League soccer champions were exposed in a CAF Champions League reverse tie against Lesotho minnows Lioli at the National Sports Stadium yesterday afternoon where their strikers missed numerous chances which came their way.

CAPS United later came from behind to edge the visitors from the mountain kingdom, courtesy of two second half goals by Simba Nhivi and Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo to progress to the first round proper.

Lloyd Chitembwe’s charges will now meet DRC giants TP Mazembe in the first round next month. And speaking after yesterday’s match against Lioli, Bunjira said the CAPS United’s strikers have to raise their game if the team is going to avoid defeat against TP Mazembe in the next round.

“I am happy that we have progressed,” Bunjira said. “But I don’t want to lie, we were not convincing today (yesterday) and we are still lacking that sharpness in front of goals and we are not scoring as much as we should.

“We are sceptical, but I think we can do more and there’s still more room for improvement.

“Defensively the team is looking good, the midfield is looking good and it is only going forward, scoring goals that is the problem. The coaches are working on it. I am quite sure it will come right and we will get the goals.”

CAPS United’s plight appears to have been worsened by the absence of their ageless forward Leonard Tsipa who was de-registered by the club in January after he went club-hunting in Tanzania.

“We lack a sharpshooter. We lack a 20-goal (per season) striker and for me a big team like CAPS United should have a striker that guarantees the club 15 goals plus per season and we lack that striker.

“We only have strikers who can score once in four or five games and it is not good for a big club like CAPS United. I think we need a striker that can score a goal every two games, I am sure one of the days he would be found,” Bunjira said.

However, the former Wits University forward believes with more effort the current attackers can still improve.

“The coaches have been working on the guys that are there and honestly speaking I think the guys are not doing enough.

“I was watching the way they were moving, you can’t score goals moving the way the guys were moving.

“You need proper movement, you need to know the position when the ball is coming in the box, where are you?

“How many times did you see the Lioli goalkeeper catching the ball unchallenged?

“You can’t have a goalkeeper getting five balls from crosses unchallenged, those were not even high balls but low crosses.

“So I am saying to the strikers if you want to score goals you need to get stuck in there, the guys are not getting stuck in there and I don’t know if it is because of lack of ability or it’s because they don’t want to,” said Bunjira.

He still believes CAPS United have a good chance to upset the highly ranked TP Mazembe in the first round.

“But looking at TP Mazembe, they are not as sharp as we would be scared of. I am sure we will give a good account of ourselves and progress to the group stages. Everyone knows that they are a good team which has won the Champions League and the Confederation Cup.

“We are facing a difficult opponent but we saw them playing Sundowns on Saturday night and they can be beaten. It is all about going to DRC and coming out with a positive result and then finish them at home.”

Bunjira said the club might need to look for a good striker outside the country to boost the team’s attack.

“They (the strikers) need to challenge themselves that we must score goals every two games or at the very least three games.

“The average goal scoring rate is not good.

“If they don’t do it, maybe the coach might be forced to start looking somewhere else so it is a challenge to them,” he said.