By Makomborero Mutimukulu in Lubumbashi, DRC
TP Mazembe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1) 1
CAPS United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Caps United didn’t win this Caf Champions League first round, first leg battle at the Stade TP Mazembe but their celebrations at the final whistle were understandable.
The Zimbabwean champions had everything, including some shocking officiating, but showed they are made of sterner stuff.
TP Mazembe didn’t lose this one, their unbeaten run at home in Africa’s blue ribband competition has stretched to 34 matches, but the five time continental club champions had the look of losers after Burundian referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana blew the final whistle.
Their French coach Thierry Froger was waved goodbye by irate fans who had come to the stadium expecting the home side to take the visitors to hell and back.
In his pre-match address Lloyd Chitembwe had demanded a solid start from his charges and skipper Moses Muchenje and his lieutenants responded by giving him that and more.
Abbas Amidu thrust Caps United into the lead just 44 seconds into the game, tucking the ball beyond the TP Mazembe goalie Gbohouo Guelassiognon after being played on by Ronald Chitiyo.
It was a dream start.
But eight minutes later the dream start turned full circle; Edmore Sibanda producing a howler made in hell.
The Caps United goalie fumbled a Koumane Koffi shot into the path of Rainford Kalaba and the TP Mazembe skipper restored parity.
“Eddie knows he should have done better but we can’t fault him. He showed character and went on to produce some good saves,” said Chitembwe in an interview as Makepekepe flew back home last night.
Some of the saves the Caps United coach described as good were fabulous.
Five minutes after restoring parity Kabala ghosted in down the right channel and pulled the trigger.
But Sibanda appeared to freeze time while airborne, waiting for the right time to divert the ball round the post.
Makepekepe survived some close shaves towards the end of the half.
Clearly something needed to be fixed down their left channel where Issama Mpheko the TP Mazembe right back was marauding.
Phineas Bhamusi just could not track his man and consequently Valentine Musarurwa, filling in for the injured Ronald Pfumbidzai, was overloaded.
The sight of Bhamusi re-emerging for the second half was worrying for the small Zimbabwean contingent.
However, unlike in the first half the winger stuck to his man looked to be getting the hang of it when he was replaced by Tafadzwa Rusike on 53 minutes.
A revitalised Sibanda dealt well with Mazembe’s aerial threats and managed the game well, using every trick in the book. He later on got a yellow card for his gamesmanship but no one in his team’s dressing room rebuked Sibanda.
He took one for the team.
Rusike put in a defensive shift, Devon Chafa and Muchenje snapped at anyone in black and white in the middle of the park as Caps United shut up shop.
TP Mazembe became desperate, their fans were restless and caution was thrown to the wind by the home side.
The clock hit the 90 minute mark with Caps United answering every question their ultra-offensive hosts asked of them.
The referee then signalled for six minutes additional time amid wild applause from the home fans.
Yet it was Caps United who could have won it late on, Rusike surging through the middle with just one Mazembe defender to take on.
One would fancy Rusike to make light work of such tall fellas but may not yesterday. The second half substitute headed for the corner flag and milked some precious seconds of the eight additional minutes that were eventually played.
“That is what we mean when we talk of game management,” said Chitembwe.
“It’s something we work on at training and Tafadzwa applied it well. With the score at 1-1 we needed to be smart.
“Now we have given ourselves a chance to achieve something big. It’s not over yet but we have know what is expected of us when we play at home.”
Forge will make the trip to Harare under pressure amid questions about his ability or lack thereof of steer this expensively assembled ship.
However, the Frenchman yesterday chose to blame his players.
“The fans are calling for my head but they are being unfair, a coach can only do so much and leave the rest to the players.
“However, it’s not over yet we will go to Harare and give it our all,” he said.
Teams
TP Mazembe: S. Gbohouo, D. Issama, K. Mondeko, S. Coulibaly, A. Zola, Kouame, D. Adjei (M. Elia, 53rd minute), M. Mika, S. Asante, B. Malango (A. Traore, 58th minute), R. Kalaba (T. Mputu, 76th minute).
CAPS United: E. Sibanda, H. Zvirekwi, D. Dauda, J. Jangano, V. Musarurwa, D Chafa, M. Muchenje, P. Bamusi (T. Rusike, 51st minute), R. Chitiyo, A. Amidu (K. Nyamupfukudza, 70 minutes), S. Nhivi. The Herald
