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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

THE blockbuster Premier Soccer League football clash between giants CAPS United and Highlanders could not have come at an ideal time for the two giants. 

High expectations have been revived as the Green Machine host one of their biggest football rivals at the National Sports Stadium this Sunday. 

This encounter could have lacked the usual hype if it had happened two weeks ago when both giants were going through difficult patches. 

But hosts Makepekepe have recovered from one of their worst league performances after being hit for six by modest Manica Diamonds late last month, while Bosso appear to have found their mojo with a 4-0 thumping of Herentals in their last assignment. 

CAPS United invited ridicule from critics after going four games without winning a match before things took a worse turn with the shock 2-6 defeat by Manica Diamonds at Sakubva. 

The Harare giants, who had gone mainly for experience to replenish their squad after an exodus during the January window, took heavy criticism for the composition of their squad which was described as an “old people’s home”. 

But the Green Machine sought to counter that by introducing a trio of 18-year-olds in one game and also scoring six past Whawha for a 6-0 win. 

CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe felt that was the best way to respond by his charges. They went on to win a second match on the trot when they visited Bulawayo City last weekend and came back home 1-0 victors. 

It is clear Makepekepe refused to be crushed by the mockery directed at them and have even made fun of it by celebrating their goals mimicking an old man on a walking stick. 

The scenes after their win at Bulawayo City also said it all. At full-time the players and fans belted into a song whose lyrics were clear the fans had come to back Chitembwe’s old guard. 

“Initially people were mocking us as spent forces and that we are a team with over aged players but I am happy that the boys have taken the criticism positively. I hope they will continue in the same vein,” said Chitembwe. 

Makepekepe have invested in a number of experienced players who include Devon Chafa, Dennis Dauda, William Manondo, Rodwell Chinyengetere, Marshall Machazane, Kelvin Bulaji and lately former Zimbabwe national team defender Jimmy Dzingai, who are all expected to play key roles in the upcoming clash against Bosso.

But to prove that they also have development in mind Chitembwe threw into the fray three 18-year-olds — Tatenda Makurumidze, Tichaona Macheka and Thulani Nyamapfeka — in the 6-0 win over Whawha. Makurumidze scored in that game. 

Chitembwe has long held that their slow start to the season had nothing to do with the quality in their camp. Instead, the CAPS United technical team has attributed the poor take off to the lack of proper pre-season training. Makepekepe encountered hiccups this season as players boycotted training while others decided to leave the club en-masse, disgruntled over money issues. 

But having scored seven in the last two games, which they won, the Harare giants can only look up to the coming match with confidence. Newboy Manondo has been leading the side well and has now scored six goals in four outings for Makepekepe.

The former Harare City man took little time to settle. In fact he needed only one minute when he scored in his first game for Makepekepe, which ended in 1-1 draw against Black Rhinos at Sakubva. 

He then netted one of the consolation goals when CAPS United lost to Manica Diamonds before grabbing his first hattrick of the season against Whawha. He was on target again last week and will certainly be the man to watch for the visiting Bosso.   

Highlanders have also been on the rise. Their coach Mandla Mpofu has been under fire from a section of the fans after winning only one game in their first six outings this season. 

Until last week when they trounced Herentals, they had scored only two goals and the goals had come in one match when they outplayed struggling Whawha for their 2-0 win. 

They had fired blanks in the other five games. 

But they scored in open play for the first time and finished with a glut against Herentals. Midfielder Nqobizitha Masuku has been the main source of their goals this season. Masuku scored both goals against Whawha and was on target again in the last game against Herentals to take his tally to three goals. Bosso this time had four different scorers with midfielder Adrian Silla and strikers Stanley Ngala and Lynoth Chikuhwa on target. 

Bosso have a decent squad with players like Peter Muduhwa, Andrew Tandi and Andrew Mbeba who formed the back three in the last game, and also experienced midfielders Bukhosi Sibanda, Pritchard Mphelele and Rahman Kutsanzira. 

“The goals were always going to come. I am happy that the goals finally came and I hope this will motivate us going forward. We have to try and win our games. Barbourfields Stadium must be a fortress.

“If we can grind out a result at CAPS United we will be happy. Every time we play CAPS United it’s always an exciting game,” said Mpofu.