Caps United crush Shooting Stars

By Eddie Chikamhi

Shooting Stars …………………….. (0) 2 CAPS United ………………….. (2) 5

RED hot CAPS United powered to another impressive Castle Lager Premier Soccer League win when they silenced city rival Shooting Stars at Rufaro on Saturday. Midfielder Pride Tafirenyika grabbed a second half brace as CAPS United maintained their brilliant start to the campaign with yet another five goal haul.

Last weekend CAPS United overcame Zimbabwe Saints 5-3 at the same venue. Yesterday their defence went a step further by conceding two instead of three but there was no doubting the precision of the CAPS United attack.

Tafirenyika scored the Green Machine’s last two goals in a space of five minutes after tucking home a rebound from goalkeeper Pedzisai Gumiremhete on the hour mark before burying another effort from a defensive blunder inside the box.

Young Warriors striker Simba Sithole, David Rediyoni and Evans Gwekwerere were also on target for Makepekepe while Silas Chihota and Sam Gadzikwa reduced the arrears late in the second half. Sithole leads the Premiership goal scorer’s charts after firing a hat trick in the victory ver Zimbabwe Saints.

CAPS United coach Moses Chunga praised his charges for the win and warned his opponents of a strong challenge in the title race this season. “It’s still early days and we cannot talk much at this stage. We just want to keep our feet on the ground and try to work hard.

“It’s still the beginning of the season and most of our players are still to pick up their form. I tell you, it will be bad news this season when we get everyone up and running,” said Chunga. But his opposite number Gishon Ntini chose to blame referee Robert Mugorosa for the defeat and charged that CAPS were given preferential treatment.

“Although we made some stupid mistakes in the second half, the way the referee handled the match today was atrocious. We cannot develop our game with that kind of officiating.

“Referees should not be in the business of unfairly protecting individuals and institutions.

“He was clearly biased and in my view he played a bigger part in this match than any of the CAPS United players. He was the man of the match,” said Ntini. Last week’s hat trick hero Sithole thrust Makepekepe into the lead after 20 minutes of play when he reacted first to a loose ball in the penalty area after goalkeeper and deadball specialist Edmore Sibanda had crashed his free-kick against the wall.

CAPS, who now have six points from their first two games, took the initiative following a slow start in which neither side could claim dominance, apart from Sithole’s blistering shot that was tipped over the cross bar by Gumiremhete in the sixth minute.

But Shooting Stars shot themselves in the foot when midfielder Tawanda Muyendesi conceded a free-kick just outside the penalty arc after rough play on Washington Pakamisa. Sibanda, who scored a couple of goals from the territory last season, stepped up to take the responsibility.

With many CAPS United fans anticipating a goal, Sibanda’s pile drive hit the wall and the ball found an alert Sithole who quickly slid it home past a badly exposed goalkeeper Gumiremhete. Then industrious midfielder Rediyoni, who joined CAPS from former champions Gunners last week, marked his debut for the Green Machine with CAPS’ second when he breached the Elite Boys’ defence on the stroke of half time.

Rediyoni, who later turned the creator of CAPS’ fourth goal, was on target after Shooting Stars defender Enerst Chimusoro had made a half clearance from a good work by Gwekwerere inside the box.
Gwekwerere increased the lead in the 48th minute with a flicked header past outdrawn goalkeeper Gumiremhete from a high ball on the edge of the box.

By then CAPS were on a roll and Tafirenyika scored his first from a rebound in the 60th minute when Gumiremhete spilled a long range effort from Rediyoni. He was back to haunt the Shooting Stars goal five minutes later when the defenders failed to clear their lines from another free-kick by Edmore Sibanda on the edge of the box.

But Shooting Stars, who found themselves trailing 5-0 mid-way through the second half, hit back twice in the last 20 minutes through substitute Chihota and midfielder Gadzikwa. Chihota had only played three minutes after replacing injured striker Patrick Mpofu when he scored Shooting Stars’ first goal on the 70th minute.

The Wild Boys then took the game to CAPS United whose defence appeared vulnerable in the dying minutes as Ntini’s side pressed forward in numbers seeking to minimise the damage. Chihota could have registered his name on the score sheet again in the 75th minute but his threatening shot crashed against the crossbar with goalkeeper Sibanda flat-footed.

But the CAPS defence appeared shaky as Shooting Stars searched for more goals and Gadzikwa ghosted in from the blind side to score with his chest from a harmless looking ball flighted in from the left flank.
“After taking the 5-0 lead I think we became too complacent in the second half. It’s a lesson that we have learnt from the games we have played so far,” said Chunga.

Teams:

Shooting Stars: P. Gumiremhete, L. Banda (M. Chipunza 57th minute), T. Chioreso (J. Chitereki 66th minute), C. Mutero, E. Chimusoro, T. Sambo, M. Muneri, T. Muyendi, S. Gadzikwa, P. Mpofu (S. Chihota, 67th minute), E. Matsika

CAPS United: E. Sibanda, D. Walaza, A. Chiveya, N. Mukumbi, L. Simango, S. Alimenda, D. Rediyoni, P. Tafirenyika (T. Mangezi 69th minute), W. Pakamisa (N. Mukwezvaramba, 57th minute), E. Gwekwerere, S. Sithole (C. Kawinga, 74th minute).