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Grace Chingoma

Senior Sports Reporter

CAPS United skipper Tonderai Mateyaunga says they are ready for the new Castle Lager Premiership football season and are aiming to win their first five matches.

The Green Machine host Manica Diamonds on Sunday at the National Sports Stadium.

The match is among the pick of the week as both teams have made massive additions to their squads.

And the veteran goalkeeper Mateyaunga, who was handed the armband this season, says they are seeking to have a good start this season after a nightmarish season last year where they began the season without a head coach.

“We are almost ready and by the weekend everything should be done in terms of registration and clearance of the new players.

“This season we have to be better than last year. So we are aiming to win at least five first matches, that would be good for us,” he said.

Mateyaunga says the target will not necessarily put them under pressure but will just things into perspective as their fans are expecting a lot from them this season.

“Football is a pressure game and we are already under pressure. Our fans also want us to do better this season compared to what we did last year,” he said.

The goalkeeper says they would want to do well in a season the club would be celebrating a milestone in their 50 years anniversary.

The club is planning to celebrate in style and a number of events have been lined up. The major thing for the club would be to lift the league title in their 50th anniversary year.

“It is also important for us since we are playing for a club that is celebrating its Golden Jubilee. So it would be really good to win things,” said Mateyaunga.

Coach Lloyd Chitembwe and his troops have kept their cards close to their chest and played their friendly matches indoors.

The team had training matches against Cranborne Bullets, Golden Eagles and a Division Two club.

They devoted the larger part of their pre-season to training and trying out new combinations with some of the new players that have joined the club.

The Green Machine have added on their books high profile midfielders King Nadolo, Kelvin Madzongwe and Adrian Silla. They have roped in former DeMbare defender Godknows Murwira, ex-Harare City Innocent Zambezi and Whawha Admiral Matope.

They have also bolstered the goalkeeping department by signing former Jomo Cosmos goalie Bhekimpilo Ncube and Ashley Reyners from Manica Diamonds.

Mateyaunga says the new and old players have gelled into a single unit.

“There is no new player or a stranger when it comes to playing football. We knew their strengths and weaknesses before they joined the club. And with training and friendly matches, we are almost like one team.

“From the friendly matches we have played, we did very well and the combinations of the team are now good,” said Mateyaunga.

The CAPS United skipper is optimistic that Sunday’s encounter against Manica Diamonds would be thrilling.

“They (Manica Diamonds) assembled a very experienced squad, the same as us so the match should be interesting. We have been playing our cards close to our chest and hopefully we will pull out a joker on Sunday,” said Mateyaunga.

Coach Jairosi Tapera’s Manica Diamonds have assembled a strong team on paper and acquired a number of players the likes of Brett Amidu, Ralph Kawondera, Panashe Mutasa and Gerald Bhero.