By Oscar Rusenga
Caps United striker Dominic Chungwa yesterday scored a late winner as his side shot to the top of the Castle Lager Premiership football table for the first time this season after edging Triangle in a tightly-contested match at Gibbo yesterday.
Triangle have now failed to win in three successive matches falling at home against Chapungu, away to Black Rhinos and latest against the Green Machine.
Joel Ngodzo opened the scoring for CAPS United in the opening 15 minutes before Chungwa’s sucker punch in the 82rd minute sparked some wild celebrations among the travelling team’s fans.
Triangle had equalised through Simba Makoni who was by far the best player for Triangle in the 53rd minute.
Triangle gaffer Taurai Mangwiro saluted Caps United for their resilience and persistence but he felt they were also unlucky not to come out with something in this match.
“Congratulations to Caps united, they scored at the right moment and everytime we were pressuring them, they came at us on the break and scored. We did well as a team but also as a home side we expected to collect maximum points but l think Caps United are doing well, it’s three crucial points lost for us,” he said.
His counterpart Lloyd Chitembwe said as expected it was a tough match away from home.
“To our anticipation the game was very difficult, we knew that in the second half they were going to come at us, they came at us and got a goal but we knew that we were going to catch them on the break and that is what we did and collecting maximum points on the road is fantastic,” Chitembwe said.
Caps United started the match strongly as they pinned the home side in their own half searching for an early goal and they deservedly got one after Marion Chang made a mistake by spilling Valentine Musarurwa’s tame free-kick into the path of Ngodzo who made no mistake from a rebounded effort.
The visitors, however, managed to put up a brave defensive display to end the first half with a slender lead. Mangwiro, however, made a half-time change by bringing on Nyasha Chintuli for Donald Mudadi to add more firepower to his side.
The substitution managed to swing the match in favour of the home side as they started to dictate the pace in the middle of the park.
And Triangle were duly awarded in the 53rd minute through Makoni who benefitted from Caps United goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba’s mistake.
Substitute Chintuli’s header went inches wide in the 73rd minute from Praise Tonha cross.
Striker Makoni was unlucky not to score his second goal of the afternoon after goalkeeper Chigumba made a suicidal save in the 79th minute and Makoni was substituted thereafter for Young Warriors striker Delic Murimba.
But gunslinger Chungwa had the last say of the match with a well-taken goal in the 82nd minute to silence the home side’s fans and Caps United continue their unbeaten run which pushed them to the summit of the league standings.
Ronald Chitiyo might not be back to his usual best but his contribution when he came on as a late substitute for John Zhuwawu was notable and he will be very critical in Caps United’s quest for glory this season.
Teams
Triangle: M. Chang, P. Tonha, A. Chiveya, D. Dzvinyai, O. Mwerahari, D. Mudadi (N. Chintuli 46th min), G. Bhero, R. Kawondera, T. January, S. Makoni (D. Murimba 81st min), C. Dhuwa
Caps United: P. Chigumba, V. Musarurwa, V. Ndaba, G. Goriyati, M. Mwanjali, B. Sarupinda (K. Nyamupfukudza 58th min), P. Bhamusi, J. Ngodzo, G. Nyoni, J. Zhuwawu (R. Chitiyo 73rdmin), D.Chungwa. The Chronicle
