Willard Mashinkila should probably be thinking that the CAPS United curse has come back to haunt them in the 2011 season. In March 2006, Saints lost their opening league match to CAPS United 1-0 and went on to be relegated after losing the reverse fixture to the Green Machine 2-1.
However, Saints yesterday produced a moment of magic that saw them scoring three goals inside five minutes, but found themselves on the losing side after falling to Makepekepe.
Young Warriors striker Simba Sithole produced a five-star performance that saw him scoring a hat-trick (5th minute, 39th minute and 66th minute with Washington Pakamisa and Pride Tafirenyika adding one each in the 13th minute and 73rd minute).
Sithole thrust Makepekepe in the lead with just five minutes on the clock before Pakamisa doubled the lead seven minutes later.
Gift Phiri pulled one back in the 31st minute before Bevan Chikaka levelled the score two minutes later.
The lead was, however, short-lived as Sithole found the equaliser in the 39th minute before adding another one in the 66th minute. Tafirenyika then put the final nail on Chikwata’s coffin the 73rd minute, when his effort from close range beat Munyaradzi Diya in goals for Saints.
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Though devoid of the sleek passing that Chikwata were known for in their golden days, Saints were always threatening the struggling CAPS defence that missed the services of the injured Gift Mapemba.
Fielding a number of former Dynamos players such as Diya, Danisa Phiri and Tafadzwa Maingire, the team was always going to be popular with Dynamos fans and on the times that they produced their magic, the fans were there to cheer.
Their coach Khumalo blamed complacency on his charges.
“CAPS are a formidable side, but we let in simple goals. We just went to sleep and that is expected as this was our first game in the Premiership. We are still trying different combinations and I am sure we will come right,” he said.
