It’s all gloomy for CAPS Utd POWER OUTAGE . . . ZPC Kariba midfielder Brian Juru (left) blocks CAPS United forward William Manondo from charging towards goal in a Castle Lager Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium yesterday. — Pic by Lee Maidza.

Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter

CAPS United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0

ZPC Kariba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0 (1)

AILING giants CAPS United put up a decent show yesterday but that could not stop them from slumping to a new club record seventh consecutive league defeat after they fell to ZPC Kariba in a Castle Lager Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium.

The Green Machine, who are slowly edging towards the relegation zone, paid dearly for a host of missed chances in a game they dominated for most parts.

The turning point was when defender Marshal Machazane played the ball into his own goal following a mix-up with goalkeeper Tatenda Munditi from a routine cross into the box by ZPC Kariba winger Samuel Makawa in the 64th minute.

The small number of die-hard Makepekepe fans, who have apparently refused to give up on their team despite the poor run, left the stadium with crushed spirits. 

They braved the chilly weather yesterday and for them to see their team losing again when they appeared the better team, could have been a lot more traumatic.

To their credit, the fans never stopped singing for the team until the final whistle. Makepekepe coach Lloyd Chitembwe lamented the poor run of defeats as the worst phase in his coaching career. The current ebb has surpassed the previous club record of six consecutive defeats, which they experienced back in 2012.

The Green Machine were expecting a change of fortunes yesterday when they resumed their campaign from the mid-season break. The recess gave teams time to work on their game and to restrategise.

And, Makepekepe dominated the match but they fluffed their scoring opportunities before conceding in a heartbreaking manner.

Machazane, who had not put his foot wrong in a perfect central defensive pairing with Ben Musaka for over an hour, became the unlikely villain. The lanky defender and his goalkeeper Munditi were involved in a costly communication breakdown.

“It’s very deflecting and disappointing. From the result view point, I thought it’s extremely disappointing. I think this will obviously rank amongst one of the poorest phases of my football career.

“It’s very disappointing. Sometimes you look at it performance wise, I thought it was a decent performance, but it needed more than just a decent performance.

“It needed us to have more courage, much more character and knowing what is at stake. We have gone for quite a number of games without a win. So obviously you’re expected to have more than just a good performance,” said Chitembwe.

CAPS United made only one change to the team that played the last match against Dynamos before the mid-season break. Chitembwe yesterday had limited options as he had a thin bench with only four inexperienced infield players available as substitutes following the injuries to some of their key men.

Winger Joseph Tulani was thrust into a more central striking position to partner William Manando, in the absence of suspended Rodwell Chinyengetere, who missed the match because of suspension after picking up maximum three yellow cards in previous matches.

The Green Machine had the better chances with Tulani and Phenias Bamusi coming close in a dominant first half. However, the club’s top goal scorer Manondo was largely invisible for the most part of the game although he also had a free header saved later in the first half.

But the best chance fell to Tulani following a defensive lapse just before the half time whistle. The forward could only send his shot wide of target with the opposition keeper Tapiwa Chilenga badly exposed.

The game was then decided midway through the second half when Machazane deflected the ball into his own goal.

“I thought the situation was under control. Just one or two mistakes and failure to communicate and you know what it does; It obviously costs you a game of football. It’s those small margins that define what football is about.

“If you get chances and then you don’t convert them into goals, these are some of these things that will happen. But in terms of dominating the game, we did dominate. We were in control of that game. We didn’t look likely to lose it until we conceded that goal. It was disappointing,” said Chitembwe.

CAPS United dropped two places to 14th on the log standings with 17 points from 18 outings. While the situation continued to deteriorate for CAPS United, ZPC Kariba, who have been fighting relegation even before the arrival of Rodwell Dhlakama, gave themselves some breathing space after rising one place into 13th position.

Former CAPS United coach Darlington Dodo was back at the giant stadium with something up his sleeve against his former paymasters, this time as assistant to Dhlakama. ZPC Kariba looked resolute throughout the match.

They also fielded ex-Makepekepe men Newman Sianchali, Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe, Munyaradzi Diro-Nyenye and later on Tino Chiunye came in as a substitute.

“What is important is game management,” said Dhlakama.

“They played a lot of football in their defensive third and it was not much of a threat to us. They had no partnerships upfront and that made us very comfortable in terms of defending.

“We also created a lot of chances. They played very well compared to the previous games that I’ve watched. I think with the temerity which I saw today, they will do well.

“But what is important is to win. How much you keep the ball isn’t important because that is not recorded on the log standings,” said Dhlakama.

Teams:

CAPS United: T. Munditi, K. Bulaji, V. Musarurwa, M. Machazane, B. Musaka, E. Karembo, D. Chafa, P. Bamusi, I. Nyoni (D. Makurumidze, i70th minute), J. Tulani, W. Manondo.

ZPC Kariba: T. Chilenga, M. Nyenye, M. Kunyarimwe, B. Mutukure, K. Madima (P. Mazhawu, 55th minute), B. Juru, C. Muleya, V. Kawe (S. Gorogodyo, 55th minute), S. Makawa (T. Chiunye, 83rd minute), M. Demera, N. Sianchali (N. Chipunza, 90th minute)

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