HARARE - CAPS United coach Taurai Mangwiro was yesterday left convinced that his side can fight for the title after came back from behind to force a draw against Dynamos.
The match also probably marked defender Partson Jaure’s last game in DeMbare colours, with the Zimbabwe international believed to have joined South African Premiership side University of Pretoria for a transfer fee in the region of US$80 000.
Dynamos chairman Kenny Mubaiwa told the Daily News last night that negotiations were in advanced stages, but highly-placed sources said the highly-rated stopper inked a deal last night with the Pretoria outfit.
Although yesterday’s match failed to produce the much expected goals, the draw was however a fair result in a match where fans had turned up in their numbers to rally behind their teams.
Murape Murape thrust Dynamos ahead with a well taken goal in the first half while Malawi international and second half substitute Gerald Phiri equalized for CAPS in the second half with a well-executed free kick.
“I think we could have collected maximum,” Mangwiro said after the match.
“We came back a stronger side in the second half. We had an opportunity to have won but unfortunately the conversion was not there. At least we rescued a point.
“Now we have a team that can fight for the title to the end. Unlike in the previous seasons where we succumbed to a goal, today we find our way back. I think we controlled possession and we were only unfortunate not to have won this one.”
Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa rued his side’s missed chances.
“It was a game of chances. We scored early in the first half and they replied in the second half,” Pasuwa said.
“We missed so many chances in the first half. We also found wanting at times, in most cases we were second to the ball. We will have to go and work on our shortcomings.”
United started the better team though, outclassing their rivals in terms of ball possession but created few scoring chances in the opening minutes of the game.
Dynamos had the best opportunity in the 12th minute when Roderick Mutuma failed to make use of a Blessing Moyo cross on the right side, while Devon Chafa saw his effort crashing against the upright and out from the same incident.
The Glamour Boys however took the lead in the 26th minute when Murape sneaked from nowhere to connect a Ronald Chitiyo low cross into the top corner giving CAPS’ goalkeeper Jorum Muchambo no chance.
And powered by the goal, Dynamos went on to torment CAPS’ defence but their strikers of Mutuma and Washington Pakamisa were wasteful in front of goal.
The second half began with United beginning on the front foot, and duly equalized in the 56th minute when Phiri, who had earlier replaced Moses Muchenje, struck a beautiful from a free kick just outside the box.
Coupled with Calisto Pasuwa’s misinformed substitutions, CAPS went on to be the better side with goalscorer Phiri causing all sorts of problems for the DeMbare defenders.
Pasuwa surprisingly replaced Chitiyo who was one of DeMbare’s visible players while keeping Chafa who had a below par performance.
The draw pushed the two giants to third and fourth places on the log table with 27 points, three behind log leaders Highlanders.
CAPS: Jorum Muchambo, Tapiwa Kumbuyani, David Chipala, Stephen Makatuka, Ronald Pfumbidzayi, Tendai Samanja, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Pervington Zimunya, Leonard Fiyado, Dominic Chungwa, Moses Muchenje (Gerald Phiri, 52m).
Dynamos: Artwell Mukandi, Blessing Moyo, Ocean Mushure, Partson Jaure, Themba Ndlovu, Devon Chafa (Oscar Machapa, 85m), Stephen Alimenda, Ronald Chitiyo (Tawanda Muparati, 78m), Murape Murape (Cliff Sekete, 66m), Roderick Mutuma, Washington Pakamisa.