Mangwiro wants nothing short of victory
CAPS United coach Taurai Mangwiro has rallied his troops to start scoring and wants nothing short of a win when they host Hardbody in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at the National sports Stadium this afternoon.
Interestingly, the Green Machine last won a match on June 9 against the Gweru side when goalkeeper Edmore “Zikeeper” Sibanda scored the solitary goal at Ascot. But ZiKeeper has left as part of a house cleaning exercise amid reports that some of the senior players had ganged up to sabotage their team.
Sibanda was off-loaded alongside defender Nyasha Mukumbi while midfielder Marvel Samaneka became the latest casualty at the weekend after failing to report for work for more than a week. Striker Evans Gwekwerere was almost swept away by the tide but the coaches decided to give him a second bite of the cherry after his work ethic improved at training in the past week.
Gwekwerere, criticised heavily for his casual approach to his game, is now the first to arrive at training sessions and the last to leave. CAPS United have also brought in two Zambians, a central defender and a 21-year-old striker who was part of the team that won the Cosafa Under-20 championships in Botswana under Keegan Mumba.
The two, who will be at the National Sports Stadium today, are being assessed by the coaching staff as the Green Machine begin to prepare for next season.
Mangwiro, who is still chasing his first win, picked his first point last week and believes today things may change for the better. “We are looking forward to the match with a very positive mind. We badly need maximum points.
“We have the material to see us through this match. They (Hardbody) have put some life into their campaign and are no longer the same side they were a few months ago.
“I asked the players not to let the opponents off the hook this time. They played very well against Buffaloes and got a point but at this juncture we need maximum points. The most important thing is we didn’t concede in Mutare but I demand that the players start scoring,” said Mangwiro.
CAPS United have signed former Highlanders striker Nqobile Mpala to add fire power to their strike force which has struggled badly and the giant forward could be thrown into the fray this afternoon.
“We having our final session this afternoon (yesterday) and he is training and he is not far off the mark although he is not yet hundred percent fit,” said Mangwiro, who said his players should keep their distance from club politics.”
Hardbody are also coming into this match from a win after they beat Quelaton 1-0 in their last encounter and coach Godfrey Tamirepi says it would be a tough match for them. “We cannot say we are expecting to win. But we will try and get a good result.
“It is not going to be an easy game for either side but we are just hoping to carry on from our last match in which we beat Quelaton 1-0,” said Tamirepi.
All the matches being played today, expect the Shabanie against Hwange, involve clubs fighting for survival while tomorrow will see the title-chasing duo of Dynamos and Highlanders in action. Black Mambas would be missing six key players this afternoon through injury and suspensions when they take on the Mighty Bulls at Motor Action Sports Club.
Fixtures
Today: CAPS United v Hardbody (National Sports Stadium), Motor Action v Black Mambas (Motor Action Sports Club), Blue Rangers v Monomotapa (Gwanzura), Gunners v Buffaloes (Lafarge), Quelaton v FC Platinum (Luveve), Shabanie v Hwange (Maglas).
Tomorrow: Harare City v Dynamos (Rufaro), Chicken Inn v Highlanders (Barbourfields).
