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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

CAPS United will today try and fight their way back to the top of the Castle Lager Premiership table and have resolved to avoid all forms of distractions.

They take on ZPC Kariba at Rufaro this afternoon.

The Green Machine dropped into third place yesterday after Chicken Inn replaced them at the top, following a 1-0 win over Mushowani Stars in Trojan, while FC Platinum crept into second place.

The champions beat Manica Diamonds 2-0 at Vengere in                                              Rusape.

Makepekepe’s biggest city rivals, Dynamos, also ended an eight-game win-less run when they beat Chapungu 2-1 at Ascot.

Defender Emmanuel Jalai and striker Evans Katema were on target for the Glamour Boys.

Chapungu had equalised through former DeMbare star Denver Mukamba, who has been enjoying a purple patch at the airmen.

The Glamour Boys had last won a league match on August 27 but yesterday gave their fans something to cheer their spirits.

At Barbourfields yesterday, Highlanders fought back to force a 1-1 draw against Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Donald Teguru fired Ngezi into the lead before a second-half penalty converted by goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda meant the two teams shared the spoils.

“Difficult game today,’’ said Bosso coach Pieter de Jongh. “The boys (showed) mentality, we have very good team spirit’’

The Dutchman said their opponents, whom they meet in the Chibuku Super Cup final, were a “good team’’. Now, after all their main rivals posted some good results yesterday, Makepekepe cannot afford any slip-up at                                Rufaro.

The Green Machine face a difficult home stretch in this year’s title race, which also features defending champions FC Platinum, Chicken Inn and ZPC Kariba.

Their coach, Darlington Dodo, and his charges find themselves hard pressed to come up with a fitting response to the results of yesterday’s games.

They have dropped eight points in their last three outings.

“What I am always telling these boys is to keep their heads up. We are the ones who took ourselves to that position and we are the ones who are supposed to make sure that we maintain that position,’’ said Dodo.

“We don’t focus much on what the opponents are doing because we don’t have control over it.

“But the thing that I am worried about is that we are playing different times with the opponents who we are in the same boat as us as far as the championship is concerned.

“I don’t know, probably that’s the way the fixtures were structured, but I thought with where we are, we are supposed to be playing at the same time, all of us, so that no one will have to think about the other  result.

“But we will do our best and I know the boys will try hard to grind out the results.”

Makepekepe face a tough title run-in with two of their players Kudzai Nyamupfukudza and veteran Method Mwanjali out with injuries. A quartet of their other key men face disciplinary charges that could get them                                                                              bans.

Diminutive midfielder Ronald Chitiyo, Carlos Rusere and forwards John Zhuwawu and Dominic Chungwa were yesterday expected to appear before a PSL Disciplinary Committee on allegations of assaulting referee Happy Mabhena after their highly-charged league match against Chicken Inn last month.

Fixtures

Today: CAPS United v ZPC Kariba (Rufaro)