Black Mambas demolish CAPS

Sport
Black Mambas…(2) 4 CAPS United…(0) 1 INCONSISTENT CAPS United threw away their championship aspirations after suffering an energy-sapping defeat

Black Mambas…(2) 4 CAPS United…(0) 1 INCONSISTENT CAPS United threw away their championship aspirations after suffering an energy-sapping defeat at the hands of relegation-haunted Black Mambas in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Morris Depot yesterday.

BY ALBERT MARUFU

CAPS United needed the three points to stay within the reach of the chasing pack, but Nicholas Alifandika’s brace (23rd min and 29th min), Last Chibwiro’s (50th min) and Honey Chimutimunzeve’s (89th min) goals stood on their way.

Benson Maglas scored the face saver for CAPS United in the 54th minute.

Ironically, CAPS United won by the same score line when the two teams met in the first leg on April 27 at Rufaro Stadium.

Black Mambas’ win, however saw them remain static on position 12 with 32 points ahead of Black Rhinos, Monomotapa, Tripple B and Motor Action? with four teams set to face the dreaded chop.

CAPS United coach Taurai Mangwiro immediately ruled out his side from the championship race.

“We should not be ambitious. Look, we have just lost three crucial points. All we have to concentrate on is finishing the season on a high note. This is a game in which Black Mambas dominated us as they played exceptionally well. We did not do enough to deserve to win the match,” he said.

Martin Bonongwe, the Black Mambas assistant coach said it is good that his players are beginning to find the target.

“I am happy we managed to score today. We have been playing some good football, but failing to score,” he said.

CAPS United, who were missing Tendai Samanja, started the match strongly with striker Tawanda Nyamandwe coming close in the sixth minute before Ronald Pfumbidzayi’s free kick was tapped over the bar by Tonderai Mateyaungwa in goals for Mambas.

However, it was Black Mambas who got the breakthrough in the 23rd minute after Alifandika’s volley beat goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube to spark a wild response from the noisy Black Mambas supporters.

The former Dynamos midfieler added his name on the score sheet six minutes later when he headed in Chimutimunzeve’s flick before Chibwiro’s effort from an acute angle beat Dube to put the match beyond the reach of CAPS United.

Their comeback four minutes later through Maglas’s headed effort proved too little too late, as Chimutimunzeve killed the match as a contest with a minute before full time.