WASTEFUL CAPS UTD! AGONISING MOMENT . . . Leonard Tsipa (left) watches in despair after his effort beat Triangle goalkeeper Ashley Reyners but still failed to find the target during yesterday’s match at the National Sports Stadium. (Picture by Munyaradzi Chamalimba)
AGONISING MOMENT . . . Leonard Tsipa (left) watches in despair after his effort beat Triangle goalkeeper Ashley Reyners but still failed to find the target during yesterday’s match at the National Sports Stadium. (Picture by Munyaradzi Chamalimba)

AGONISING MOMENT . . . Leonard Tsipa (left) watches in despair after his effort beat Triangle goalkeeper Ashley Reyners but still failed to find the target during yesterday’s match at the National Sports Stadium. (Picture by Munyaradzi Chamalimba)

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter—
CAPS United .. . . . (1) 1
Triangle United . . (1) 1
HARARE giants CAPS United’s woes in front of goal could derail their quest for a strong finish in this year’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship race although their coach Lloyd Chitembwe remained upbeat following yet another tale of missed scoring opportunities against Triangle at the National Sports Stadium yesterday. Makepekepe salvaged a point on home turf courtesy of a fine finish from Equatorial Guinea forward Pedro Antonio Mansago Fugo late in the first half after Triangle had surged ahead in the 15th minute through impressive winger Hillary Bakacheza.

The Green Machine had hoped to dislodge Triangle from the top four standings on the log table after yesterday’s game but they can only hold themselves accountable following a string of missed scoring opportunities with skipper of the day Leonard Tsipa, the main culprit.

The point, however, still kept them in the hunt for a top four finish and Chitembwe said the performance by his charges, minus the missed chances, was a good sign of better days ahead. “I am quite happy with the way we created chances, I am quite happy with the way the forwards were getting into scoring positions. That’s a very good sign for any coach at any level, if players are creating opportunities and if players are getting into scoring positions, you know, you are happy,” said Chitembwe.

“The boys played well and with a little bit of luck we could have won the match considering the number of opportunities that we created. So on that basis we are happy. I am sure we did enough. Tactically, the boys were astute today. When we talk of trying to be compact each time when we lose possession, we didn’t give the opponents spaces in between our team lines and generally I am quite impressed.

“On another day we could have converted those chances into goals. Who knows? Maybe it was just one day that was not meant to be,” Chitembwe said. Makepekepe remained sixth on the log standings with 38 points, the same as fifth placed Hwange. Triangle are just a point ahead of the Green Machine and CAPS United will know this was a big opportunity lost in the battle for fourth place.

The visitors took the lead when Bakacheza received the ball wide inside the box and beat his marker before unleashing a grounder that beat goalkeeper Jorum Muchambo into the back of the nets via the upright post. But there were always some positive movements in the CAPS United midfielder where Joel Ngodzo expertly pulled the strings. Ngodzo was heavily involved in the game and his first time shot from a corner kick taken by Hardlife Zvirekwi on the right went just wide on the 17th minute as Makepekepe searched for the equaliser.

Makepekepe skipper Tsipa, who also had a couple of chances, then drove his effort wide following a good work by Fugo on the left just after the half hour mark. Tsipa then watched in agony as another opportunity came off the upright post after Triangle goalkeeper Ashley Reyners had come off the line following a defensive gaffe by the visitors.

Triangle were largely quiet in the second half after losing their main man Bakacheza late in the first half through injury. They were presented with a big opportunity late in the second half when Makepekepe goalkeeper Muchambo misjudged a high ball from a corner kick only for Tawanda Muyendi to head wide at the back post unmarked. Triangle coach Kelvin Kaindu was still happy with the point gained on the road.

“We had hoped for maximum points especially that we had scored an early goal. It’s unfortunate we came out with a point but I think a point is not bad for us,” said Kaindu. “It’s good we still maintained the top four position. I think it hasn’t been good for us in the second round of the league. “If you have seen all the points we have picked we have picked them away from home and we are gaining more confidence playing away than the way we are playing at home.”

Teams:
CAPS Utd : J. Muchambo, Z. Biseki, J. Jangano, C. Munzabwa, S. Makatuka, D. Mukandi, J. Ngodzo, H. Zvirekwi (T. Mahori, 80th minute), P. Bamusi, A. Fugo (D. Chungwa, 64th minute), L. Tsipa

Triangle : A. Reyners, D. Phiri (C. Kamhapa, 53rd minute), N. Meson, J. Dzingai, J. Tigere, P. Tonha, M. Mukamba (M. Sakala, 69th minute), P. Manhanga, F. Kuswatuka, H. Bakacheza (M. Chiwara, 39th minute), T. Muyendi

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