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Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter

CAPS United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 6

WhaWha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

AFTER a rocky start to the season, CAPS United finally remembered how to win, in emphatic fashion, when they put hapless WhaWha to the sword in this Castle Lager Premiership football match at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.

It was a sweet victory for the Green Machine who were still nursing the wounds of their heaviest defeat in the league ever when they lost to Manica Diamonds 2-6 last weekend.

And to score as many as they conceded the last time out and keeping a clean sheet in yesterday’s match was a perfect way to respond and send a strong statement in the marathon race which is only six weeks old.

Veterans, William Manondo and Rodwell Chinyengetere, scored a hat-trick and a brace respectively while teenage substitute Tatenda Makurumidze completed the rout.

Of course, WhaWha’s struggles with their below average players, who barely deserve to play top-flight football, cannot be over emphasised but there was no denying Makepekepe’s brilliance in every aspects of the game.

CAPS United certainly needed the nerves, given WhaWha, facing a giant away from home, had nothing to lose while the former champions needed to get their season on track after failing to win in their five opening matches.

Coach Lloyd Chitembwe threw caution to the wind, deploying an ultra-attacking formation with only three men at the back.

The system almost backfired in the opening moments with Albert Matewu nearly registering his name on the score-sheet but Tonderai Mateyaunga punched the effort out for a corner.

That would be the only time the Gweru-based prison wardens would really threaten the hosts’ goal.

As soon as CAPS United seized the initiative, they never showed any sign of easing up, playing with both purpose and conviction.

They were cosmetic too, to good effect and their legion of roaring fans were treated to some top-class entertainment they have been starved of by their team in so many years.

It was a matter of time when, not if Makepekepe would breach their guests and the opener came in the ninth minute when Chinyengetere blasted Ian Nyoni’s hard and low cross into the roof of Simon Nyama’s goal.

With WhaWha doing most of the defending, Makepekepe struggled a bit to get a second goal despite coming close on three occasions until Manondo bundled home a rebound with four minutes before the break.

The 2-0 half-time scoreline was never a reflection of the game and Chitembwe must have reminded his charges of their routine shooting drills at training during the interval because his charges duly responded in the second half.

Chinyengetere struck from the box 12 minutes after the restart to open the second-half floodgates and Manondo would haunt WhaWha twice before Chitembwe withdrew him together with Chinyengetere as he sought to give youngsters a run.

And one of those youngsters, Makurumidze, did not take long before sealing victory for Makepekepe with a beautiful diving header.

The victory, Makepekepe’s biggest in so many years, helped them take their points tally to seven in six outings having drawn four times and losing once.

“It was a sweet victory considering the way we lost to Manica Diamonds last week. It was a good way to respond.

“I thought the application by my boys was up there.

“I am very happy to have won this match. Well done to my boys,” said Chitembwe.

“I don’t want to dwell much into the match we lost to Manica Diamonds the last time out, it was one of those bad days in the office. But, I mean, the way we responded by scoring exactly the number of goals we conceded is fantastic. It is a marathon and we have to get things right.”

WhaWha coach, Luke Jukulile, who had his best player Ronwell Matutu stretchered off due to a nasty injury midway through the second half, said he was disappointed by the result but happy with how his players were improving.

“Obviously I am very disappointed with this defeat. It means we have slid even deeper than where we were as log anchors.

“But one thing for certain, we have noted some positives from my youngsters,” said Jukulile.

“But we need to work hard at training, recruit one or two experienced guys and see what we can do. Otherwise there are some flushes which are giving me hope the team will very soon come right.”

Chitembwe made five changes to the team which lost to Manica Diamonds dropping goalkeeper Simba Chinani, Tulani Joseph, Valentine Musarurwa, Kenneth Bulaji and Clive Augusto and the changes proved to be worthy.

On the other hand Jukulile, whose team suffered a 0-3 loss at the hands of Herentals at Ascot last week, made three changes including benching goalkeeper Alexander Useni.

His captain Edmore Muzanenamo was conspicuous by his absence and reports suggest he is preparing to relocate to the UK to join his wife.

Teams

CAPS United: Tonderai Mateyaunga, Dennis Dauda, Marshal Machazane (Kenneth Bulaji 61st min), Tawana Chikore (Thulani Nyamapfeka 80th min), Devon Chafa (Tichaona Macheka 80th min), Tatenda Tavengwa, Ronald Chitiyo, Ian Nyoni, Phenias Bamusi, Rodwell Chinyengetere (Tatenda Makurumidze 73rd min), William Manondo (Clive  Augusto 73rd min)

WhaWha: Simon Nyama, Roy Useni, Justine Gadzani, Admiral Matope, Ronwell Matutu (Raymond Horonga 59th min), Takudzwa Jukulile, Terrence Daka, Albert Matewu (Jayden Baraki 46th min) Baggio Shome (Evidence Makwanda 59th min), Diverlash Nyamukondiwa (Dibbela Mapuwa 46th min), Butho Phiri (King Utete 87th min)