Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Grace Chingoma
12 November 2009
Harare — BLACK RHINOS were relegated from the CBZ Premiership yesterday, Highway and Njube Sundowns lived to fight another day, Highlanders lost again in their backyard and CAPS United just kept alive their faint hopes of winning the championship on a dramatic afternoon of midweek top-flight fixtures around the country.
The army side, who only returned to the Premiership this season, bade farewell to the country's top-flight when they fell 0-1 to CAPS United, with the winning goal for the Green Machine coming in time added on, as Makepekepe skipper Ashley Rambanapasi broke the hearts of the Rhinos faithful.
That cruel defeat for the army side, who finished yesterday's match at Rufaro with 10 men, confirmed their relegation after fellow strugglers -- Highway and Njube Sundowns -- won their matches in Mutare and Bulawayo.
Highway crushed Eagles 4-0 at Sakubva with goals from Tawanda Mpungu, Romeo Kabesha, Stephen Sibanda (penalty) and Agrippa Mambodza while Sundowns edged Kiglon 2-1 at Hartsfield with Dylan Chivandire and Thabani Kamusoko powering them to victory.
Osborne Mukuradare scored for Kiglon.
Sundowns' victory took them to 29 points, a tally that Rhinos cannot reach even if they win their remaining two league matches, and -- with three teams automatically getting relegated, it means that the army side -- who still have 22 points -- are doomed.
Highlanders lost again when they went down 1-2 to Hwange at Barbourfields -- just three days after Bosso slumped to a 0-1 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Dynamos.
Farai Vimisayi pushed the coalminers ahead in the 22nd minute only for Rahman Kutsanzira to equalise in the 45th minute before Gilbert Zulu won the game for Hwange with 10 minutes left.
The big story in the Premiership yesterday was at Rufaro where Rhinos' defeat confirmed their relegation from the top-flight league and CAPS United's victory kept alive their faint hopes of winning the league championship.
It has been a largely poor season for the army side.
Rhinos were deserted by most of their senior players when they were relegated in 2007 while a dedicated group fought their way back into the top-flight league only for that bunch to prove that it was not good enough to stand the heat in the Premiership.
The army side had questioned the decision to force them to play yesterday's match, arguing that CAPS United should first play Bantu Rovers.
Yesterday lawyers representing Rhinos, Chihambakwe, Mutizwa and Partners, wrote to the Premier Soccer League advising them that the army side would not fulfil the game.
"As you are aware, our client is in the relegation zone with only three matches remaining to the end of the season. All the other teams in the league have played 27 matches except CAPS United and Bantu Rovers who have an outstanding game," wrote the lawyers.
"Our client, therefore, wonders why it is being forced to play a game ahead of all other teams when the team they are to play has an outstanding game.
"We advise that our client will be prejudiced if it is compelled to play the game because the other teams in the relegation zone will definitely know exactly what they need to do in order to survive relegation.
"We are instructed to advise you, as we hereby do, that our client is not prepared to play the CAPS United game as scheduled today (yesterday) as this is not in their best interests and promotes unfairness in the league.
"Be advised, therefore, that our client will not be fulfilling this fixture today and should any decision, adverse to it be taken, we will approach the courts for an appropriate relief."
However, Rhinos went ahead and fulfilled yesterday's match and knew they needed an outright win, but it was always going to be difficult against an inspired CAPS United side that has been in devastating form.
But the last kicks of a dying horse are dangerous and Rhinos fought gallantly, all the way, against the best team in the top-flight league in the last month. The Green Machine, as expected, created a glut of chances, but leading marksman Nyasha Mushekwi appeared to have forgotten his shooting boots home as he squandered a lot of those opportunities.
Rhinos, to their credit, fought bravely but they just didn't have luck on their side.
They could have found the killer punch deep in injury time when a swift move caught CAPS United all at sea. But Kastigu Juwakinyu
somehow drove his effort wide.
Rambanapasi showed him how it should be done with the killer goal that sent CAPS United within five points of leaders Dynamos with 12 points still to play for.
The CAPS United captain silenced the Green Machine fans, who had called for his substitution and booed him, when he fired home the priceless goal.
Rambanapasi was as guilty as the fans who insulted him, losing his temper at some stage to make a foolish gesture in the direction of the bay that houses his team's fans.
Substitute Leonard Tsipa, who came in just after 30 minutes after replacing an ineffective Yves Ebabali, blew a number of chances and so did his fellow forwards.
In the 68th minute, Wilson Chakanyuka was then expelled, reducing Rhinos to 10 men, after a second yellow card following a bad tackle on the impressive Gilbert Mapemba.
But the army side, who have improved since former Zimbabwe forward Victor Mapanda took over as coach, fought gallantly and goalkeeper Simba Manzungu was outstanding.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, with five minutes of added time piled on regulation time, CAPS United substitute Tendai Nyamadzawo sent a cross from the left flank and, in the goalmouth melee that followed, Rambanapasi drilled the ball home.
It was game over and three more points in the bag for the in-form Lloyd Chitembwe side.
CAPS United team manager Wilson Mutekede said his team was not in the championship race.
"In terms of the championship we are out because we cannot count our chances basing on Dynamos or Gunners dropping points," said Mutekede.
"But we will fight to finish on a good position. We missed a lot of chances otherwise we had control of the game from the first whistle."
Teams
CAPS United: E. Sibanda, D. Walaza, G. Mapemba, P. Marimo, L. Mtizwa (T. Nyamadzawo 59th minute), M. Mwanjali, A. Rambanapasi, M. Samaneka (O. Machapa 56th minute), Y. Ebabali (L. Tsipa 29th minute), T. Rusike, N. Mushekwi.
Black Rhinos: S. Manzungu, W. Chakanyuka, D. Chafa, K. Tongoona, T. Gonyora, L. Nyamadzawo, M. Wafawanaka, E. Nyika (G. Nguwodzawo 53rd minute), R. Nenzou (T. Torovasei 66th minute), K. Juwakinyu, S. Mafarirano (S. Mafarirano 70th minute).
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