PREMIERSHIP title contenders Dynamos, Ngezi Platinum Stars, FC Platinum and Chicken Inn, are enjoying their life at the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table but it is the Green Machine of CAPS United whom the football family is talking about. The manner in which Makepekepe are turning on the style in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League has stirred debate on where the Green Machine would have been on the table had they not participated in the Caf Champions League and concentrated only on the domestic championship.
While it is highly unlikely that the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League trophy will be in club owner Farai Jere’s trophy cabinet come the end of the season, the truth is that the Green Machine have brought a new dimension to the PSL competition despite their six-month romance with the Caf Champions League.
After initially finding the going tough following their exit from continental football, CAPS United have recently upped their tempo, losing only one match in their last 12 PSL encounters dating back to the 3-1 defeat against Chicken Inn on August 2.
Some might argue that Makepekepe benefitted heavily from the experience they gained from their participation in the Caf Champions League.
However, it can also be argued that CAPS United’s domestic campaign suffered significantly due to their African excursions.
The points they dropped during that period of a heavy fixture congestion could be the reason why CAPS United are in the position they are in right now, otherwise, on current form, they could have been challenging for honours at the summit of the 18-team log.
What is clear is that should they maintain their momentum, the team that gave Zimbabwe some of its greatest footballers in the form of the late great Shacky Tauro, Stanley Ndunduma, Joel “Jubilee” Shambo, and Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa, could finish in the top four on the table.
Makepekepe could also get a reward for their good show by taking the Chibuku Super Cup as they are through to the quarter finals after edging out Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-0 through a goal from talisman Dominic Chungwa, who also grabbed the winner not only in their victory over Dynamos but Chicken Inn as well.
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The Chibuku Super Cup could also be another ticket for CAPS United’s return to Pan-African football, but this time to the Caf Confederation Cup and give Zimbabweans the sort of celebration they had when Makepekepe overcame both Zamalek and USM Alger at the National Sports Stadium.
What is interesting is the manner in which the Green Machine recovered from their Caf Champions League rendezvous, even after losing three vital cogs of their machine — Abbas Amidu, Ronald Chitiyo and Ronald Pfumbidzai — to stamp their authority on the domestic game.
The Green Machine also lost defence pillar, Dennis Dauda, the 2015 Zimbabwe Soccer Star of the Year to crosstown rivals, Yadah, before they had even played half of the domestic season’s matches.
This was in addition to the loss of Tafadzwa Rusike who might never play again after suffering an injury.
Despite all this, Lloyd Chitembwe’s side have risen like a phoenix to compete in a manner that has brought pride to the smile and gusto in the applause.
Jere cannot be faulted for boasting that although his team is out of the title race, they will beat all the four title contenders — Dynamos, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum, and Ngezi Platinum Stars.
So far, the Green Machine have accounted for DeMbare and the GameCocks.
Yesterday, the former Cup Kings were billed to face FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium.
For the record, the Green Machine forced a draw with Ngezi Platinum at the Baobab Stadium early in the season before thumping them 3-0 in the reverse fixture at Rufaro on August 20.
From the look of things, one team from the quartet of Madamburo, DeMbare — GameCocks or Kugona Kunenge Kudada will take the league title and a place in the Caf Champions League in 2018 but one thing they will not forget, is how CAPS United dominated them despite fighting on two fronts.
The question is: What would have been the case had Caps United not taken part in the Caf Champions League? Or if they had they had not gone as far as the group stages of the top African club football competition.
There are many who believe Makepekepe could once again have been the Zimbabwe football champions.
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