Dodo battling to revive ailing CAPS

CAPS United coach Darlington Dodo has challenged his players to be more aggressive, in front of goal, as they battle to save their Chibuku Super Cup campaign against Herentals, at Baobab tomorrow.

They could also be fighting for their coach, who is now under scrutiny, after a miserable sequence of results.

The mid-morning match was moved to Ngezi, as the National Sports Stadium will not be available for the whole of next week, in preparation for the Warriors’ home match against Ghana in the World Cup qualifiers.

The Premier Soccer League said in a statement yesterday Harare City and Yadah will also play in Ngezi, in a 3pm kickoff.

Makepekepe are beginning to feel the pressure, following the defeat to Harare City, in their recent outing.

Dodo, who is now under the radar after a run of poor results, believes their biggest undoing has been the strikeforce, which missed a couple of chances, in the previous outing.

“We are going to regroup and plan for the Herentals match after a disappointing game against Harare City,’’ he said.

‘’It was disappointing in the sense that we didn’t score.

“In terms of play, they did what I actually expected from them but, in terms of conversion, we didn’t because there were some clear-cut chances, which we could have buried.

“I am still mourning those chances because in football if you don’t take your chances you are bound not to achieve what you want.

“So, for the Herentals game, we need to be more clinical and we are going to plan and try to do the best, to get the three points.”

The Green Machine owed much of their success, in the first round, to goals from hitman Ishmael Wadi and the midfield industry of Blessing Sarupinda.

However, the side lost two of their best performers to South African clubs, during the Covid-19 break.

“We don’t have to cry over the movement of these players because this is the nature of their profession,” said Dodo.

“When a player does well, there are eyes watching and if they feel they need him, they will do so, like they did with Wadi and Blessing Sarupinda.

‘’But we need and to try and come up with other combinations to make sure that we still remain a top team.”

The burden is now on new striker Clive Augusto, who had a quiet game, in his first appearance for the Green Machine, during midweek.

Dynamos have since secured their place in the quarter-finals, with an unbeaten run, in seven games.

Their coach Tonderai Ndiraya will have the luxury of resting some of his key players, when they face ZPC Kariba, at the National Sports Stadium, this morning.

The match starts at 11am.

Ndiraya revealed he was still skeptical about his players’ fitness.

“It’s now upon us to plan and make sure that we play the football that we have been craving for under these difficult conditions.

“But, it’s been difficult for the boys, it’s been three months without any activity and for them to come back and, play the way they did (against Yadah), it was expected.

“Physically, we were not up to standards and we are hoping that as we go forward, we will improve the fitness of the team and the quality of the matches will be much better,” said Ndiraya.

Highlanders clash with Group 2 leaders Chicken Inn at Barbourfields tomorrow.

Chibuku Super Cup Fixtures: Today

ZPC Kariba v Dynamos ( NSS, 11am); Cranborne Bullets v Black Rhinos (Sakubva 1pm); FC Platinum v Triangle (Mandava, 1pm)

Tomorrow

CAPS Utd v Herentals (Baobab, 11am); Yadah v Harare City (Baobab, 3pm); Whawha v Ngezi Platinum (Mandava, 11am); Bulawayo Chiefs v Bulawayo City (Barbourfields, 11am); Manica Diamonds v Tenax (Sakubva, 1pm); Highlanders v Chicken Inn (Barbourfields, 3pm)