Arenel bank on teamwork against FC Platinum

Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter

ARENEL Movers head coach Farai Tawachera has reckoned that they will bank on collective play when they take on former Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions FC Platinum in their Week Six match at Luveve Stadium this afternoon.

Arenel Movers got into the match after posting their first win of the season. They beat fellow PSL newboys Bikita Minerals on a 2-1 scoreline in a tie that was played at the same venue.

On the other hand, Pure Platinum Play’s previous encounter against CAPS United played at Mandava Stadium was abandoned a few minutes before regulation time, owing to crowd trouble.

The Makepekepe family was left angry after an outstanding curling effort by striker Ralph Kawondera in the 86th minute was disallowed, with assistant referee Mncedisi Maphosa raising his flag to signal offside.

Norman Matemera of the referees’ body has since backed the assistant that he was right in his call.

Makepekepe were trailing FC Platinum 0-1 at the time the match was called off, after Juan Mutudza had struck for the hosts in the first half.

“To me, this will be a very difficult match. FC Platinum have never been beaten, they have been free scoring, but we will try our best. They have quality in their team, an experienced coach (Norman Mapeza).

“So, it is not going to be an easy task as we will be playing a well-oiled machine. Everything points to them, but we will also show them what we are made of. We are an average team,which will thrive on teamwork. That is going to be our tool and it has always been our tool,” said Tawachera.

His charges held their last training session ahead of the match against Platinum on Friday afternoon, before they went into camp yesterday.

“The other positives that I have managed to pick from our team is that the players have been fighting hard to be recognised. They really mean business,” said Tawachera.

FC Platinum mentor Norman Mapeza also conceded that it is not going to be a stroll in the park for his boys

“As for our preparations, everything has been going well despite what happened last Saturday. We were shocked, we never thought the game (against CAPS United) would end up like that. It was something, which was beyond our control.

“Now, our main focus is on our next game against Arenel on Sunday (today). We are playing a quality side. In their last match, they managed to win against Bikita Minerals. So, we are facing a team, which is very high in confidence, a team which has been doing well especially at home,” said Mapeza.

The former Warriors skipper added: “We know the challenge we are going to face. For us, what is important is to go with the same attitude and same desire. We need to go there with a positive mind, and we have been doing better away from home. In our last games we played away, we managed to get maximum points but it’s a game of football, we are in Week Six now, I’m sure most teams have picked up the momentum. So, it would be important to go there and play our normal game and see what comes out.”

Meanwhile, in other fixtures scheduled for this afternoon, Wadzanai Stadium is expected to be filled to the rafters when free-spending Simba Bhora welcome Dynamos.

Chegutu Pirates will entertain equally bruised Hwange at Baobab Stadium while CAPS United fight it out against ZPC Kariba at Rufaro Stadium.