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MOSES CHUNGA faced the fans that played a part in hounding him out of CAPS United and his Gunners’ team left with a lot of credit in an entertaining Castle Lager Premiership match at Lafarge yesterday.
A sizeable crowd that watched the match could have been left wondering why Gunners, who turned on the style in the first half, are stuck at the bottom of the table. At times, they appeared better than this strong Green Machine side.

Chunga was sitting on the bench for the first time this season after crossing the floor from CAPS United two weeks ago.
Former Kiglon mentor Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe, Alois Bunjira and Rodwell Dhlakama pulled the strings for the Makepekepe side.
But Chunga’s assistant George Madira was ejected from the bench by referee Nomore Musundire, accused of verbally abusing the fourth official, in the 55th minute.

CAPS introduced their new signings Ashley Rambanapasi, in midfield, and Tendai Samanja who filled in the place of Warriors’ rightback Gilbert Mapemba, who is currently in South Africa on trials.
But with good finishing and a bit of luck, hosts Gunners could have won the match by a comfortable margin after coming close on several occasions.
They controlled the flow of play, especially in the first half, as CAPS appeared to struggle with their game on a damp surface at Lafarge.

The CAPS United midfield duo of Stephen Alimenda and Rambanapasi had to fight hard to avert danger as Gunners threatened to tear apart the Green Machine with sleek passing football.
Pardon Chinungwa and Byron Madzokere provided cover with maturity at the Gunners rear to contain Evans Gwekwerere and Washington Pakamisa who were a constant danger each time they were in possession.

Munya Kunyarimwe also played well in the leftback position, in the absence of skipper Qadr Amini, who watched the match from the terraces.
The midfielders, Cliff Sekete, Patrick Makuvaza and Edmund Muzvidziwa, had good outing in the middle of the park but the final third was always the Achilles’ heel.

“We still have a lot of work to do with our team,” said Chunga.
“This is a point dropped because we were all over them the whole game. I have noticed that we are coming short in front of goal but we will soon get there.

“There are good youngsters at Gunners but we just have to make them believe in themselves in front of goal,” he added.
Gunners remained second from the bottom with 13 points while CAPS were also unmoved in seventh place and 22 points to their credit.

The teams will meet again in the return leg at Rufaro on Sunday.
Gunners’ striker Lloyd Masakusi could, at least, have converted one of the several opportunities that came his way but it was certainly not his day as the goals kept eluding him.

After directing his efforts wide twice earlier on, Masakusi had a clearer chance in the 27th minute when he was released by Fiyado inside the box but he pumped his effort straight into the legs of goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda.

Sibanda was also forced to make another save in the 35th minute when he dived to his left to punch out Fiyodo’s close range shot while Masakusi watched in disbelief as his back heeler, from Sekete’s cross, went wide in the 71st minute with goalkeeper Sibanda beaten.

But CAPS could have swung the pendulum in their favour shortly before the breather when Evans Gwekwerere raced into the opposition territory and sent a low cross that was stopped by goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba, with Pakamisa lurking in the penalty area.

Pakamisa then broke loose in the 44th minute and instead of shooting at goal, unselfishly laid the ball into the path of Gwekwerere, and with the goalkeeper beaten clean, Gunners had defender Chinungwa to thank for his timely intervention.

Goalkeeper Chigumba was also forced to stretch wide to palm away a high ball from Douglas Walaza, which almost deceived him in the 48th minute.
CAPS coach Jongwe was happy to collect a point away in his first assignment.

“A draw is okay but we can still do better. At least we had somewhere to start from. The boys fought hard but the ground was too heavy and the players struggled to control the ball on this pitch.
“Every coach wants to win but half a loaf is better than nothing,” said Takaendesa.
Rambanapasi, who completed his return to CAPS this week, also found the game against his former teammates an uphill task.

“Ashley was not at his usual best. He hasn’t seen game time for some time but I am hopeful he will come up soon,” said Takaendesa.

Teams
Gunners: P. Chugumba, H. Zvirekwi, M. Kunyarimwe, B. Madzokere, P. Chinungwa, E. Muzvidziwa, P. Makuvaza, C. Sekete (W. Kamudyariwa, 83rd minute), M. Muchenje, L. Masakusi, L. Fiyado (M. Demera, 78th minute)
CAPS United: E. Sibanda, T. Samanja, D. Walaza, E. Chafungamoyo, N. Mukumbi, A. Rambanapasi (P. Tafirenyika, 76th minute), S. Alimenda, T. Mangezi (G. Mhangani, 66th minute), M. Samaneka, W. Pakamisa (J. Lupahla, 83rd minute), E. Gwekwerere