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Fungai Muderere
ZIMBABWE’S defending football champions FC Platinum will hope to continue with their fine form when they take on Costa do Sol of Mozambique in a Caf Champions League preliminary round second-leg tie at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday.
The Platinum miners carry a 2-1 lead from the first leg that was played at Zimpeto Stadium in Maputo last Saturday.
Ralph Kawondera and Elias Magura were on target to give Pure Platinum Play the much-needed advantage heading to the second leg encounter that will be handled by Zambian match officials Kasokota Kafuli Derrick, Romeo Kasengele and Chiwoyu and Kapembwa Sinyangwe.
Janny Sikazwe will be the fourth official and the match commissioner will be Inacio Manuel Candido from Angola.
“Morale is very high in camp. Every player is itching to have a starting place. We go into the match with an advantage but the players have continuously been told not to relax. It’s a tricky tie but we hope to do well,” said FC Platinum media liaison officer Chido Chizondo.
FC Platinum went into the match with the odds heavily against them as their preparations for their campaign in the inter club competition faced many challenges.
Pure Platinum Play had not played any competitive football in almost a year due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on domestic football.
The club’s players only trained with their coach Norman Mapeza for less than a week after their former coach Dutchman Hendrikus Pieter de Jongh was barred from sitting on the bench in the competition by Caf as he did not have the requisite coaching badges.
If Mapeza’s charges manage to get the better of Costa do Sol they will meet Plateau United of Nigeria or Simba SC of Tanzania in the final round of the preliminary phase before the group stages.
Costa Do Sol have to beat FC Platinum by two clear goals for them to cause an upset and proceed to the next round of the preliminaries.
Mapeza boasts of a quality side that has the services of combative Kelvin Madzongwe, experienced goalkeeper Petros Mhari, ex-Warriors player Silas Songani, Gift Mbweti, towering Lawrence Mhlanga, ex-Highlanders trio of tricky Rahman Kutsanzira, Denzel Khumalo and Brian Banda among others.
Online Reporter