We’ve the quality to upset DeMbare — Chitembwe Lloyd Chitembwe
Lloyd Chitembwe

Lloyd Chitembwe

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe believes the quality in his camp should help his charges end their lengthy wait for a league win over Dynamos in the latest edition of the Harare Derby at Rufaro tomorrow. The game features three players who made the Warriors’ first team, in their 4-0 thrashing of Swaziland in a 2017 Nations Cup qualifier on Easter Monday, goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva, defender Elisha Muroiwa (both Dynamos) and wingback Hardlife Zvirekwi.

All three players were impressive in that game with Muroiwa uncompromising in the heart of defence while Zvirekwi was outstanding in his comeback game for the Warriors after he relegated South Africa-based Eric Chipeta to the bench.

The Green Machine are looking to end a seven-year dominance by their rivals and it appears they are in the right frame of mind to upset DeMbare, who have had a slow start in the championship race.

Chitembwe’s charges have seven points in three matches, which could have been nine out of a possible nine had ‘keeper Jorum Muchambo not produced a howler that donated a point to Ngezi Platinum, while Dynamos have four points. But going into such matches, form barely counts as players are easily motivated by what is at stake.

The CAPS United camp are brimming with confidence right from the management, technical team, players and the supporters. It’s expected that Rufaro will see the biggest invasion by CAPS United fans in years.

“We have quality all over and they believe they are good enough to withstand whatever is thrown at them and looking at the way they have been responding in training, here I have Jussy (Justice Jangano) and Hardlife (Zvirekwi) no one can doubt their qualities and if you have doubts then you better think twice,” said Chitembwe.

“We have good players and they know what it is to be playing at such a grand stage and they are ready and it is not so difficult to push and motivate them. “In as far as we are concerned, it is a very important fixture for us and one fixture we just have to fulfil and we expect to do very well and I think we will do well considering the amount of positivity that I am seeing within the team.

“The boys are enjoying their training and that gives me satisfaction as a coach. When you see your players responding the way you want or showing the kind of desire that they have shown in training it gives me a great deal of satisfaction so I think we are happy and ready to go.”

So important has been this week’s training sessions that Chitembwe had to rope in his former assistant, who is also his close friend, Kennedy Nagoli, to assist in conducting some drills. The former Zimbabwe international was at Barclays Sports Club on Wednesday working with the players. And Chitembwe said he was always ready to learn in this job.

“Football coaching, like I have always said, is a continuous learning process, even last week we also learnt certain things, our previous losses to Dynamos, we also learnt something even our wins against Dynamos we also learnt something, so it is a continuous learning process,” said Chitembwe.

“There are a lot of technical and tactical facets that we have been working on at training and that we hope to execute well on Sunday so that it will probably carry the day for us.

“In as far as tactics are concerned, I am sure as a team you look at your strengths, you look at your weaknesses vis-a-vis the strengths and weakness of the opponents and I think in as far as our strengths are concerned, I am sure we will try to work and consolidate on that. “In as far as our weaknesses are concerned we have tried to improve on them that is what we have done.”

Chitembwe, who in his prime days also featured in these blockbuster matches when he was still a CAPS United midfielder, says he now feels more pressure because he is the team’s leader. “Personally, I feel very privileged to have participated in a Derby both as a coach and as a player for me it is quite a privilege.

“You experience one feeling as a player and go on to experience another as a coach. As a player, the only feeling that you get probably has to do with you as an individual, coming to coaching the team you obviously carry the responsibility of the whole team so from that perspective the experiences are different.

“But anyway I feel those experiences have been worthwhile, I have enjoyed every moment of it and can’t wait to be part of the Derby again. “In as far as injuries are concerned I am sure we are okay. Everyone is ready. In these kind of situations we get to see big players. “It is such big occasions which can make them,” said Chitembwe.

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