Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma, [email protected]
BLANKET Mine FC gaffer Luke Petros Jukulile has said he will ascertain in the next five games whether his team has the chance to play in the Premier Soccer League, although he assured that they are in the right direction.
Blanket Mine FC are leading the Central Region Soccer League with 57 points, five points clear of second-place Kwekwe United FC.
The top five sides include Chapungu FC in position three with 50 points, West Nicholson FC sits in position four with 49 points, while in position five it’s Gwanda Pirates with 45 points.
Blanket Mine FC managed to stretch the two-point lead to five points on Wednesday after beating Grain Tigers 2-0 in a rescheduled match, three days after Grain Tigers had beaten them 12-11 on penalties in a cup tournament.
Jukulile said he was happy his charges managed to keep focused on the league championship trophy.
“In the games versus Grain Tigers, we did our game plan well, realising the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, which we addressed at training within two days after playing them in the GMI
Super 8 Cup. We worked on physical and mental strength, then on the tactical application of limiting the space for them to play. Realising the importance of three points, we made sure that, come rain or thunder, we had to collect three points to enhance our position on the log; hence, we got the points.
“As of now, I can’t say much about the championship, but it’s a work in progress, not shifting away from the vision we have. Given that we manage to collect good results in the next five games to come, I will be in a position to really declare much about the championship. So far, I can say we, as Blanket Mine FC, are in the right direction,” said Jukulile.
As the only team from the lower division left in the Munhumutapa Cup challenge, Jukulile said;
“The draw of the Munhumutapa Cup was done, and looking at what was there in the Pot 7 PSL sides and Blanket Mine FC Division 1 side remaining, it was fair to us. Platinum FC is one of the great teams in Zimbabwe football, looking at their record.
“We are going to prepare for them as the game approaches. Looking at it now, there are about four league games in Division 1 to be played before we play Platinum FC. So our focus as of now is on league games, but because of the draw, everyone, even Platinum FC, is mentally preparing too for the game,” he said.
