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Farai Jere

Sports Reporter
CAPS United president Farai Jere has thanked the Green Machine fans for showing respect to the players and their coaching staff at the end of the Harare Derby on Sunday despite the pain inflicted by the loss to their biggest rivals. The Harare businessman watched as the champions crumbled under the weight of a double strike by Dynamos hitman Christian Ntouba to ignite wild celebrations among the DeMbare fans who came in numbers at the national Sports Stadium.

CAPS United had turned the giant stadium into their fortress, where they did not lose a league match last season, but they have already lost to How Mine and DeMbare at the place they call home this term.

Last year, the Green Machine beat DeMbare at Rufaro 1-0 courtesy of a goal by Dominic Chungwa, who was unavailable on Sunday through suspension, before staging a remarkable fightback to score three times in the last five minutes and force a draw at the National Sports Stadium.

Overcome with emotion, after that fightback, Jere stormed onto the pitch and joined his players and coaching staff in wild celebrations.

However, the Glamour Boys hit back at their rivals with victory on Sunday.

“It was a very painful defeat and, even up to now, we are still feeling the pain because Dynamos are our rivals and thousands of our fans came to cheer us, praying for a victory, but went home disappointed and it will take some time for that disappointment to ease,’’ Jere said.

“Even though we were a bit weakened, with the suspensions of Chungwa and Jangano (Justice), we always believed that we could give it our best shot and win the game, but sadly at the end of the day, that wasn’t the case and it hurts.

“For us, beating Dynamos is special and the same is also true to our rivals and after the fun we enjoyed last year with our success over there, it was a tough one to take, losing again, and it has been a tough few days.

“But fair play to Dynamos, they got the two goals and we didn’t convert our chances and that is the nature of the game in a tight match, it makes a huge difference, but we will dust ourselves up again and fight and the next Derby will not be an easy match for them, this I can guarantee you.

“However, what really cheered me was seeing our fans saluting our players and the coaching team after such a painful defeat, this meant a lot to me and I would like to thank them for that because it tells the players and the coaches that we are one family and the fans are fully behind us and that is what is needed if you want to be successful in football.

“I want to say a big thank you to every CAPS United fan who, even in that pain, found a way to thank the boys and the coaches for giving it their all and understanding that this Derby came at a wrong time for us with all the suspensions to some key players who could have made a big difference.’’

Jere also said the challenges that were faced by fans at entry points, with thousands of supporters being forced back home when they couldn’t force their way into the stadium, were unfortunate.

“We apologise as a club for all that because football cannot survive without fans and we owe it to the supporters to deliver a product that remains attractive and it’s sad when you hear stories that a lot of them had serious challenges at the entry points,’’ said Jere.

“Obviously, it’s an issue we are looking into as a club because I thought we had made all the necessary arrangements to ensure that everything would sail smoothly, but that wasn’t the case and we have to say sorry to all the people who suffered at the gates.

“It should never happen and it’s something we shouldn’t tolerate and there are some tough lessons that we will pick going forward and I have to thank everyone who came to the stadium to support football, not only CAPS United or Dynamos, but even the neutrals who were there just to enjoy the game.’’