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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
CAPS United midfielder Denver Mukamba was on Monday night rushed to Harare Central Hospital after complaining of a stomach bug. He was discharged yesterday afternoon. Mukamba, who is on a one-year loan from Dynamos, missed the Green Machine’s trip to Triangle on Saturday in circumstances which his manager Gibson Mahachi said were unfortunate.

However, he is expected back in training with CAPS United today with Lloyd Chitembwe and his men preparing for the first leg of the Harare Derby which turns 41 on Sunday.

The capital’s two biggest football clubs meet in a Castle Lager Premiership showdown at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday whose appeal has been tainted by the challenges the Glamour Boys are experiencing.
Lloyd Mutasa and his troops are winless in their first six league matches, their worst start to the campaign.

This has sparked turmoil among their fans with some calling for a boycott of the club’s matches, in protest over the way the Glamour Boys have been reduced to a punching bag, while others insist that such challenges come and go and they will always support their men.

These die-hard fans, who say they were there when their team faced the possibility of relegation in 2005 with one final game of the season against Masvingo United at Mucheke remaining, say true fans of the club will always be there for their team.

They say their men need them even more, right now, than when they are doing well and that is why they will always be there for them.

A victory over CAPS United could just be the tonic which Mutasa believes could change their season even though, right now, he doesn’t appear to have the right men for such a turnaround strategy.

Two years ago, a struggling DeMbare arrived at the giant stadium for the Harare Derby against a Green Machine side which was in pole position for the league title.

The magic of the Derby appeared to inspire the Glamour Boys that afternoon as they raced to a shock 3-0 lead with Masimba Mambare scoring a beauty for a second which was sandwiched between goals from Rodreck Mutuma and Tawanda Macheka.

Then, in the final five minutes of the battle, CAPS United suddenly came alive and scored three times, with defender Dennis Dauda on target twice, to force a share of the points.

Mukamba’s manager Gibson Mahachi confirmed his client spent Monday night in hospital.
“He wasn’t feeling well on Monday night and he was rushed to Harare Hospital where he was detained and treated before he was released today (yesterday),’’ said Mahachi.

“He is fine right now, it was a stomach bug and he should be available for training tomorrow (today).
“There was a communication breakdown last week when CAPS United were leaving for Chiredzi and that resulted in Denver not traveling.

“Denver remains committed to CAPS United, during the time he is contracted at the club and it’s unfortunate that false stories will always be created for him by those who have their issues with him.”

Interestingly, Mukamba could be available for the Harare Derby despite CAPS United and Dynamos having entered into an agreement where the player would not feature in the high-profile game.

While the initial agreement between the two parties had a clause that outlawed Mukamba from playing in the Derby, it was rejected by the PSL who said they could not get a clearance that had conditions.

Dynamos officials were then forced to submit another clearance, which did not have any conditions, which enabled the PSL to register Mukamba to play for CAPS United.

“The agreement signed between Dynamos and CAPS United had a clause which prohibited Denver from playing in the Derby during his loan spell,” sources told The Herald.

“However, the PSL rejected that agreement when it was submitted as part of the clearance from Dynamos to enable CAPS United to register Denver.

“Given that this was not a free loan deal, as is usually the case in such matters, the PSL officials said they could not accept an agreement that had conditions.

“So another agreement was forwarded to them and that doesn’t have the clause prohibiting Denver from playing in the Derby.’’
CAPS United president Farai Jere said the Derby could not have come at a worse time for his club.

“Some people are saying Dynamos are struggling and therefore it’s an easy game for us, but nothing can be further from the truth,” he said.

“The fact that they have not won a game provides them with the inspiration to choose this big game to deliver because they know that if they do that a lot of what they have done wrong this season will be forgiven.
“So, we are expecting a backlash from them and we expect a tough game because there are no easy Derbies.

“I think you guys saw what happened in Manchester recently where United somehow found a way to beat the favourites City, in their home ground, when just about everyone else was saying it was an easy match for Pep Guardiola’s men.”