The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
CAPS United will troop into Sakubva Stadium on Sunday afternoon knowing full well that they will be engaging a rejuvenated, but respectful Manica Diamonds.
Despite posting two consecutive victories, Manica Diamonds coach, Jairos Tapera insists that they have so much respect for their opponents. Both CAPS United and Manica Diamonds occupy mid-table positions on the log, having won twice and drew once.
The two clubs are separated by the number of matches lost, wherein the former lost twice, the latter lost thrice.
Tapera and his men had a forgettable start to the 2024 Premiership season — which almost cost him his job – but a sudden turnaround of fortunes saw the Gem Boys getting their first set of maximum points against Chicken Inn a fortnight ago at Sakubva Stadium.
The Mutare side went on to bag another three points when they edged an unpredictable Herentals College away in Harare last Saturday — a result that signalled the rejuvenation of a team that has been struggling to find a winning formula.
And on Sunday, at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare, it will certainly be a test of consistency for Manica Diamonds, a team from whom much is expected after finishing the previous Castle Lager Premiership season as runners-up.
“We shall be treating CAPS United with much respect. They have been playing very well and their passing game has been supported well with the quality of players they have. So we just have to be ready, both mentally and physically for them. However, we are at home and we will the best to come out victorious,” said Tapera.
Tapera attributed their monumental victory against Herentals to tactical second-half substitutions.
To lend credence to Tapera’s line of thought, forceful winger, Michael Tapera has been impressive each time he comes from the bench. The same was witnessed against The Students.
In fact, many who have been following Manica Diamonds’ matches so far this season, have been yearning for his early introduction in the second half.
“The Herentals match was a tale of two halves where we were very dominant in the first half, but we had only one goal for those moments of dominance.
“However, they came back in the second half a changed side after their four substitutions. We were forced to be on our back foot for about 20 minutes, but we made some tactical changes and brought in Michael Tapera for Tawanda Chisi, Kudzanai Dhemere for Nigel Mupinduki and Charles Teguru for Gerald Bero.
“That is when we went on the overdrive and scored the winning goal. We had more chances to increase the score line, but we are happy with the three points and our second consecutive victory,” said Tapera.
Elsewhere in the Premiership, fellow Manicaland-based Castle Lager Premiership outfit, GreenFuel FC will be entertaining equally wounded Herentals at the GreenFuel Arena in Chisumbanje on Sunday.
Boys DzeNharo or simply Ethanol Boys, as Green Fuel FC is affectionately known to its fans in the Lowveld, are still smarting from a two-nil defeat at the hands of Chicken Inn.
