MANICA DIAMONDS .... (0)
CAPS UNITED ........... (0)(1)
IN a thrilling Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Sakubva Stadium, Caps United secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manica Diamonds, thanks to a stunning goal from super sub Craig Matindife in the 87th minute.
The win marked a significant milestone for new Caps United coach Ian Bakala, who tasted success in his first two matches in charge.
The match got off to a promising start for Manica Diamonds, with midfielder Nigel Mpanduki having a shot sail over the bar in the 4th minute following excellent work by Charles Teguru on the left flank.
However, Caps United began to gain momentum, and winger Phenius Bhamusi had a chance to score in the 37th minute after a solo run by Kundai Benyu, but he fluffed it.
The first half ended goalless, with both teams evenly matched.
The second half started slowly, but Caps United picked up the pace, with Bhamusi causing problems for the Manica Diamonds defense.
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Despite enjoying possession and creating opportunities, Manica Diamonds struggled to find the back of the net.
Bhamusi had another chance in the 70th minute, but his effort went over the bar.
The game's most significant scoring opportunity came in the 76th minute when Manica Diamonds defender Lawrence Mhlanga's shot from a delicate pass by Farai Banda sailed over the crossbar.
The tension mounted as Manica Diamonds pushed for a goal, but their efforts were in vain.
Evans Katema's goal was disallowed for offside, sparking protests from the Manica Diamonds players.
The controversy surrounding the offside decision boiled over after the match, with angry supporters and players confronting second assistant referee Kuda Marange.
The situation became intense, and Marange was manhandled by the fans before being whisked away to safety by the Manica Diamonds security team and police.
In the end, it was Caps United who broke the deadlock.
Matindife, who came off the bench, received a pass from midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa just outside the box and controlled it comfortably before firing a screamer that beat a diving Tedious Baye in the Manica Diamonds goal.
The Caps United supporters erupted in wild celebrations as their team secured a crucial win.
After the match, coach Ian Bakala expressed relief and praised his players for executing the plan perfectly.
"I give credit to the players. They played very well. They played according to the plan. They did just what we were planning at training the whole of this week. I am happy that it is my first win as a coach in Zimbabwe. We hope to continue winning so that we start moving away from relegation," Bakala said.
Manica Diamonds coach Jairosi Tapera, on the other hand, felt that there were external factors influencing the results against his team.
"There are some things that we cannot control. Why always us? Anyway, we played very well and we had our chances that came our way but we failed to convert. We were all over them (Caps United) but we did not score. That's football, it happens. We are now focusing on our next match," Tapera said.
