Zimpapers Logo

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
AFTER seeing his charges endure a false start to the marathon, losing two of their opening fixtures, Harare City coach Mark Harrison says his team have found their footing and are ready to compete.

This follows impressive performances in their last two outings.

Having lost to champions FC Platinum at home on the opening day and newboys Manica Diamonds away, Harrison was quick to wield the axe on most of his under-performing senior players, replacing them with the team’s green horns.

And the move seems to be paying off as the municipal team have come out unscathed in their last two outings.

Just a week after outplaying Highlanders in a 3-1 drubbing, Harrison’s men showed a lot of character when they beat a compact Chapungu 1-0 at Mandava on Sunday.

Walter Mukanga converted a kick from the penalty mark that made all the difference.

With senior players Moses Muchenje, Raymond Uchena, Takudzwa Chimwemwe, Maxwell Nyamupangedengu and Ishmael Wadi all out of the team, the young team seem to be doing what the Englishman wants to see.

“After the two embarrassing defeats, especially the one against Manica Diamonds in which the team never attempted to play football having taken the lead, I obviously had to take action and make some significant changes to the team.

“The move has so far paid off as the team made light work of a tough Highlanders last week. We could even have won that Highlanders match by an even bigger margin had we converted all the clear chances we managed to create including a penalty.

“And in the match against Chapungu, the character which my team showed was just fantastic.

“I mean the match was tough, but the attitude which my players put in to grind results is what we want to see.

“They played like champions and I wish to see a lot more top-of-the-shelf performances like that.”

Harrison has since stripped Nyamupangedengu of the team’s captaincy, with the armband now handed to former Dynamos defender Marshal Machazane.

Machazane is now deputised by Milton Ncube, with William Manondo coming in as the second vice-captain.

Uchena, who is the reigning Harare City Player of the Year, used to deputise Nyamupangedengu before the changes which were effected last week.