Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
ZPC Kariba assistant coach Partson Ndabambi says they are banking on home support when they host CAPS United in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at Nyamhunga this afternoon.

Ndabambi yesterday told The Herald that they were aiming to collect maximum points in the remaining home matches of the season to negotiate their way out of the relegation zone.

The Kariba side first struggled at their home venue, which they only started to use in May after a year of shuttling to Harare to play their games, and failed to collect maximum points in the first five matches in front of their fans.

But after beating Whawha 2-1 and Harare City 2-0 at home, Ndabambi feels they have struck the winning formula and are seeking to extend their winning run when they host the former champions.

“Now that we have got the winning formula back and we have also started winning matches at home we want to maximise on that.

“If we manage to collect maximum points in all our remaining home matches we should be able to survive relegation.

“We are left with three games at home — against CAPS United, Chapungu and Hwange and if we get the points from them it would be enough for us to survive before we look at the away games,” said Ndabambi.

The nomadic coach said they were not worried that CAPS United have also picked up their form under Lloyd Chitembwe.

“We are not worried about how CAPS United are now doing under the new coach. We know they have won twice and drew once but we are concentrating on what is happening at ZPC Kariba and how we can survive relegation.

“We are also in good form and we just lost in the semi-final match against Harare City. But Cup games are different from league matches.

“We have regrouped and that defeat is now history and we are looking forward to the CAPS United match.

“For us it is a very key game considering our position on the log and we are hoping that we will collect maximum points as this would ease our relegation worries,” he said.

The team welcomes back reigning Soccer Star of the Year Dennis Dauda, who missed out the Chibuku Super Cup clash last weekend as he was not feeling well.

Watching the match from the sidelines will be the former CAPS United duo of striker Leonard Fiyado and Tawanda Munyanduri.

Fiyado was injured in the game against How Mine while Munyanduri was shown a red card in the team’s last league match against Flame Lily.

But they have Protasho Kabwe, Tawanda Nyamandwe, Limited Chikafa and Thomas Sweswe to carry the day for them.

The two teams drew 1-1 in the reverse fixture at the National Sports Stadium.

CAPS United defender Stephen Makatuka said they face a tough match at Nyamhunga.

“This is not an easy game. We are going to fight hard, ZPC Kariba are no pushovers. They have good players and some of them are more experienced than us,” he said.

“Just playing for CAPS United drives you to do well and I think we have worked hard to get the results. The effort we are putting in at training is also helping us get good results.

“The only pressure we are having is that of having to work hard.

“I cannot really say the coach is a tough man but when it comes to work on the field of play he demands more but when he is off the pitch he is a different person,” said Makatuka.

The team welcomes back veteran striker Leonard Tsipa who has recovered from an injury he picked in their last match against Highlanders, which ended in a 3-1 win for the Green Machine.

Fixtures:

Today: How Mine v Chicken Inn (Luveve), ZPC Kariba v CAPS United (Nyamhunga), FC Platinum v Whawha (Mandava), Buffaloes v Tsholotsho (Sakubva).

Tomorrow: Triangle v Flame Lily (Gibbo), Dynamos v Harare City (Rufaro), Highlanders v Dongo Sawmill (Barbourfields), Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery)

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