Zvirekwi wants CAPS to improve

By Eddie Chikamhi

CAPS United skipper Hardlife Zvirekwi wants the Green Machine to go back to the drawing board and polish up their act ahead of the CAF Champions League group stage qualifier against TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Makepekepe, who returned to the continental premier inter-club tournament after 11 years, edged Lesotho outfit Lioli 2-1 at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday to book a date with the five-time champions.

However, the Harare giants were exposed in a number of grey areas, especially in defence, where they were stretched by the pace of the visitors.

The Green Machine will start the first round away in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the weekend of March 10-12 with the return leg scheduled a week later at the National Sports Stadium.

Makepekepe showed character to overcome the turmoil which hit their camp, on the eve of the match with several players snubbing the club’s leadership for them to go into camp saying they should, rather, be given the money used for the exercise, to beat Lioli.

The Green Machine emerged a different side after the break when Barclays Zimbabwe managing director George Guvamatanga dangled a $3 000 winning bonus at half-time.

“Obviously, we are going back to the training ground and correct our mistakes. We are not a perfect team yet, we make mistakes,” said Zvirekwi.

“So, the only way to rectify mistakes is to go back to training, try and maximise on training time and work on those weaknesses.”

Newboy Ronald Chitiyo was the hero as he scored the winner in a fine performance while Simba Nhivi got the other goal.

Makepekepe looked vulnerable when the Lioli players surged forward and had goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda to thank for keeping them in the match.

CAPS United were shaken after conceding a 20th minute goal, but they managed to regroup.

“In a football match, it happens that you can concede goals. It happened the last time in the derby against Dynamos when we conceded three goals, but the most important thing is not to look down when that happens.

“It’s part of the game because the other team wants to win as well. So what you do after conceding the goal is very vital. The attitude of the guys was incredible,” said Zvirekwi.

While CAPS United could be celebrating clearing the first hurdle, TP Mazembe are a completely different kind of opponents.

The Congolese giants are one of the big teams of the new millennium in Africa having featured in almost every edition of the Champions League tournament since 2001 and winning the title three times.

They are the holders of the second tier CAF Confederation Cup and on Saturday they played Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Super Cup in South Africa and lost 1-0.

They have the resources, being one of the richest countries on the continent and also boast some of the best talents on the continent with players like Zambian Rainford Kabala, who was voted the third best player plying his trade on the continent last year, his Zambian compatriots Nathan Sinkala, Given Singuluma and Jonas Sakuwaha.

The last time they played Zimbabwean opponents, they beat Dynamos home and away in the 2010 Champions League group stage on their way to winning the title.

Last year they failed to make the group stage of the competition when they lost 1-3 aggregate to Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the second round.

CAPS United president Farai Jere was bullish about Makepekepe’s chances as they also hope to cause an upset.

“We are ready for the challenge, we are ready to meet TP Mazembe because we have got a strong belief in this (CAPS United) team,” said Jere.

We have known beforehand the opponents who were lined up for us in this tournament and we made very clear our intentions that we want to get into the group stage for a starter. So we are very happy and our target is still the same.

“Remember before they started this tournament we said we want them to get to the group stage. We now have one hurdle left ahead of us, which is TP Mazembe.

“But you know what with football?

“Once you reach a certain stage you would expect more and more. Maybe we would revisit our target when we get to the group stage, but at the moment we want to get to the group stage. The Herald