The Sunday News
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
FC PLATINUM’S dominance of the local league was officially confirmed yesterday as they lifted their second straight Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship title in front of their fans at Zvishavane’s Mandava Stadium.
The champions beat nearest rivals Ngezi Platinum 1-0, and were given the trophy and medals, with Ngezi getting the runners up medals.
The club’s media liaison officer Chido Chizondo reckoned their back to back league success has come courtesy of players’ consistency and the fact that their gaffer, Norman Mapeza, largely prioritised returning the bulk of team’s players since he took over the reigns at the platinum miners in 2014.
“I think it has been evident since we got promoted into the premier league that we really wanted to be champions.
“There has been a lot of player consistency in the team and our coach Norman Mapeza has continuously made sure he returns the bulk of our players since 2014.
“While we at times missed the title, the realisation that success does happen overnight came in 2013 and 2014 and this has greatly assisted us in 2017 and 2018 seasons,” said Chizondo.
FC Platinum now become the first team outside the Harare and Bulawayo stranglehold to win two consecutive Premier League titles. They also got into the elite group of clubs to have successfully defended the title. The group has Dynamos, Caps United and Highlanders.
Asked on their Champions League ambition, Chizondo said they were looking forward to reach the group stages.
“We would want to reach the group stages. We have been in this campaign before and we are now an experienced lot and we need to go beyond the preliminary round. FC Platinum is strongly becoming an esteemed African brand and as such we now need a success story in this campaign,” said Chizondo.
The Zimbabwean champions made five changes to the squad that bowed out of the same competition in preliminary round earlier this year.
The platinum miners were eliminated at the preliminary round by this season’s semi-finalists Primeiro Agosto of Angola on a heavy 5-1 aggregate score line that included a 2-1 home defeat.
They return to the Champions League and coach Mapeza has included new faces in his 27-man squad from the team that succumbed to Agosto.
Mapeza has bolstered his strike force with Triangle forward Lameck Nhamo and Thomas Chideu, who returned home after unsuccessful spells in South Africa with Ajax Cape Town and Golden Arrows.
Midfielder Ranson Pavari from Bulawayo City and former Dynamos defensive linkman Devon Chafa have been included, while defender Ian Nekati has returned after a loan stint at ZPC Kariba. Cameroonian forward Albert Eonde has been retained together with veteran striker Charles Sibanda.
The country’s reigning Soccer Star of the Year Rodwell Chinyengetere is expected to lead from the front.
It would be the third time for FC Platinum to compete in the Caf Champions League after also another unsuccessful attempt in 2012 that saw them exit in the first round.
FC Platinum squad
Goalkeepers: Petros Mhari, Wallace Magalane, Francis Tizayi.
Defenders: Raphael Muduviwa, Jameson Mukombwe, Elvis Moyo, Kelvin Moyo, William Sitima, Gift Bello, Lawrence Mhlanga, Ian Nekati.
Midfielders: Farai Madhanhanga, Winston Mhango, Never Tigere, Kelvin Madzongwe, Marshall Mudehwe, Rahman Kutsanzira, Rodwell Chinyengetere, Ali Sadiki, Ranson Pavari, Devon Chafa.
Forwards: Mkhokheli Dube, Gift Mbweti, Albert Eonde, Charles Sibanda, Lameck Nhamo, Thomas Chideu.
