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YOU had to be there at Rufaro to believe the drama in this Castle Lager Premiership tie that ended prematurely yesterday.
Two CAPS United players received red cards while Gunners’ Leonard Fiyado sunk a brace as Moses Chunga returned to haunt the Green Machine.

David Maketo Sengu and Edmore Chafungamoyo were expelled by referee Ruzive Ruzive.
Striker Evans Gwekwerere appea-red to be sent off after the match had been abandoned but last night referee Ruzive clarified the issue.
The Harare referee said, although Gwekwerere abused him, he decided against showing him the red card.

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It was a bad omen for CAPS United ahead of the Harare derby against rivals Dynamos at the weekend as they now go into the battle without their key players.
After last week’s reverse fixture ended in a 0-0 draw at Lafarge, CAPS United fans turned up in their numbers at Rufaro yesterday hoping for better luck against Gunners.
But they became a law unto themselves as they could not stomach being pummelled into submission by their former coach’s spirited charges.

Defender Sengu received a red card in the 43rd minute for elbowing Gunners’ Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe while makeshift defender Chafungamoyo saw red in the 55th minute.
Sengu had made contact with Kunyarimwe off the ball and referee Ruzive failed to notice the incident but his first assistant was spot on and notified him.
CAPS United protested over the red card but they were still reduced to 10 men.

By the time Sengu was sent for an early shower, Gunners had taken the lead through a beauty by Fiyado.
The Gunners players made a sweeping move as they raided the box with Lloyd Masakusi initiating the move before Fiyado found the target inside the box from the right in the 32nd minute.
Ruzive flashed a second yellow card for Chafungamoyo after the former Black Rhinos midfielder had pulled down Masakusi as Gunners came on a quick counter attack in the second half.

Chando Kupisa, taking advantage of their numerical advantage, came on a counter raid with Masakusi taking on Chafungamoyo, who was the last man, providing cover for goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda.
The CAPS United defender was already sitting on a yellow card and a second booking for a professional foul on the Gunners midfielder meant CAPS United were now reduced to nine men.
The expulsion of Chafungamoyo sparked the drama as CAPS fans from the northern stand rained missiles onto the pitch and Gunners goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba had to seek sanctuary.

The signs of hooliganism had been noticed when Fiyado scored the opener.
A supporter in the northern stand, housing the CAPS United fans, celebrated the goal and was assaulted by a mob before he was ejected from the bay.
As the assaulted fan limped away from the mob, he took off his jacket to reveal a Dynamos shirt underneath.

The Dynamos fans in the Vietnam Stand reacted and turned on anyone in green sitting in that bay.
All those wearing green colours ran for dear life from the Vietnam Stand while those in blue colours were also doing the same from the northern stand.
This coming weekend’s Harare Derby is set to be an explosive affair.

There was a 10-minute stoppage after Chafungamoyo was expelled and it had to take the intervention of Premier Soccer League board chairman Twine Phiri, who is also the CAPS United president, to bring back sanity.
Chairman of the CAPS United Supporters Association, Abraham Kawadza, the CAPS United players, – led by Gwekwerere and Edmore Sibanda – also tried to calm their fans who were clearly baying for Ruzive’s head.

Even CAPS United assistant coach Alois Bunjira and chief executive Maxwell Mironga tried to appeal for reason from the hooligans who were raining all sorts of missiles – from stones, beer bottles, sticks and plastic containers – onto the pitch.
Ruzive called CAPS United assistant coach Rodwell Dhlakama and his opposite number at Gunners, George Madira during the heat of the moment, and appeared to hint that he would call off the match.

The field became a hard hat-area for the players until sanity returned after a 10-minute stoppage while the CAPS United fans broke into song and danced to their anthem “Kepekepe Bhora”
With Gunners enjoying a two-man advantage, CAPS United coach Maxwell Jongwe Takaendesa brought in Lucky Simango for Washington Pakamisa.
However, they remained on the knife’s edge as Gunners were all over them and appeared to miss for fun, a chance that came their way two minutes after the resumption.

The promised goal came from the boot of Fiyado as he got to the end of a pass from Masakusi, who had whipped in a cross from the right, and the missiles started raining again, forcing Ruzive to end the match.
An emotional Takaendesa criticised the referee.
“The referees are the keepers of the laws of the game.

“He made decisions that he believed were correct and we respect him for that.
“We came here hoping to get a win but when the referee leaves us with eight players on the field, it becomes difficult,” said Takaendesa.
CAPS United dominated the start of the match with chances falling to Evans Gwekwerere and Marvel Samaneka while Stephen Alumeda and Tendai Samanja had the lions’ share in midfield in the first 20 minutes of the game.

Gunners’ adventure rewarded them with the goal while the red-card to Sengu, who crossed over from Gunners this month, was a setback for the Harare giants.
But the turning point was the red card to Chafungamoyo.
“I give credit to my players for trying their best and I am happy for they way they fought.

“As for the fans, they want their team to win.
“CAPS is a big team and the fans get emotional especially with some decisions going against them from the referee, otherwise Chunga is just like any other coach in the league,” said Takaendesa.
There was also sarcasm in Chunga’s remarks.

“I do not hold anything against CAPS United fans and as I said before the game, revenge was never on my mind because I do not live in the past.
“The guys played well and won and I hope to improve in the next games,” said Chunga.

Teams
CAPS United
E. Sibanda, D. Sengu, T. Samanja, G. Mangani (A. Rambanapasi 46th min), W. Pakamisa (L. Simango 66th min), S. Alimenda, D. Walaza, N. Mukumbi, E. Chafungamoyo, M. Samaneka
Gunners
P. Chigumba, M. Demera, P. Makuwaza, M. Muchenje, H. Zvirekwi, L. Fiyado, B. Madzokere, E. Mazvidziwa, M. Kunyarimwe, L. Masakusi, P. Chinungwa.