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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
THE small mining town of Zvishavane is set to burst into life again tomorrow as domestic football kings FC Platinum are set to be crowned Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions for the fourth time on the bounce.
Barring bad weather, it promises to be an afternoon of pomp and fanfare, no matter what happens in the platinum miners’ final game of the season at Mandava against Cranborne Bullets.
The platinum miners, who are 12 points clear of competition heading into the last game of the season, secured their fourth league title with three rounds of play still remaining.
And they go into the final weekend with an incredible 20-match unbeaten run in the league competition.
Their final game of the season will be broadcast live on DStv’s Zimpapers Television Network. The Premier Soccer League have announced the game will start earlier than the normal kick-off time as it has been slotted for 1pm.
“Please be advised that the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matchday thirty-four fixture between FC Platinum and Cranborne Bullets FC scheduled for Saturday 12 November 2022 at Mandava Stadium will now kick-off at 1300hrs.
“The Castle Lager PSL trophy presentation ceremony will be conducted soon after this match,” said the PSL statement.
This is the first time FC Platinum have finished at home to coincide with their coronation and head coach Norman Mapeza is excited.
A journey that started 11 years ago with the agony of losing the title race to giants Dynamos on the last day has finally yielded four straight league titles.
They won their first two league titles under Mapeza before Lizwe Sweswe delivered the third after replacing Mapeza midway through the 2019 season.
They are also the only team from outside Harare and Bulawayo to win the league title.
“If you are to look back where we came from, since I arrived at FC Platinum, personally this is the first time that we have finished the season at home,” said Mapeza.
“In 2017 when we won the league for the first time, we played our last match in Gweru. Then in 2018, when we won the league for the second time, we finished in Bulawayo and this year we have been fortunate enough that we had to finish at home.
“So, I hope and pray that our supporters and other stakeholder who will be here celebrating the league with us (will find this exciting).”
“It was not easy. Football competition is like a long journey with ups and downs, but we thank God for his Providence. We finished the season without many injuries nor any incidents. So, glory to the Almighty for leading us thus far.”
FC Platinum won their first title in 2017 when they beat Chapungu 2-0 at Ascot. The trophy was delivered to them in Gweru by an Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopter after results did not favor Dynamos who were also in the running of the title until the final day.
The platinum miners continued with their dominance in 2018 when they won the title with two games to spare following the 1-0 victory over Shabanie Mine at Maglas.
But they had to finish the season away in Bulawayo where they played a goalless draw against giants Highlanders at Barbourfields.
They finished away from home again in 2019 when beating Harare giants CAPS United 1-0 at the National Sports Stadium.
FC Platinum were handed the trophy at the giant stadium, this time for keeps after completing a remarkable hat-trick of league titles that had previously been achieved only by giants Dynamos (twice) and Highlanders.
The Zvishavane side have now equaled the giants again as only the third team in the history of Zimbabwean Premiership football to win the title four times on the bounce.
Dynamos did it between 1980 and 1983 seasons and again between 2011 and 2014 under Callisto Pasuwa. Bosso achieved the feat at the turn of the millennium when they made the title theirs between 1999 and 2002.
The platinum miners have not had it easy though, as they faced serious competition from Dynamos and Chicken Inn, who both later ran out of steam.
Mapeza yesterday reflected on the ups and downs they had to endure along the way, including the slump they experienced after they made the decision to dump senior players in favour of promoting from their development.
FC Platinum parted ways with former Soccer Star Rodwell Chinyengetere, Stanley Ngala, Kevin Madzongwe, Rahman Kutsanzira, Ralph Kawondera and Silas Songani. They promoted then teenage players Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, Panashe Mtimbanyoka and Oscar Bhebhe.
“This coaching job is highly unpredictable. Of course, there are times when we get to enjoy ourselves but it doesn’t have to be for long. We only loosen up a bit after winning and after that, you are already planning for the new game.
“But what impressed me the most was the unity in our camp from the start of the season. Of course there was talk here and there because most of time when things are done, there has to be clarity. If things are not explained well, there is danger of people interpreting things differently,” said Mapeza.
“So we started the season well and when we came back from the 2021 Christmas break that’s when we made those changes to bring on the younger players.
“At first it was difficult simply because we wanted to try out different combinations. So it’s not always easy. But I knew that if these guys kept on working hard as they have been doing by the end of the year I was sure we were destined to get something as a club,” said Mapeza.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: FC Platinum v Cranborne Bullets (Mandava, 1pm), ZPC Kariba v Herentals (Nyamhunga, 1pm), Black Rhinos v Bulawayo City (Vengere, 1pm), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Whawha (Baobab), Chicken Inn v Triangle (Luveve), Harare City v Highlanders (NSS)
Sunday: Tenax v Manica Diamonds (Sakubva), Bulawayo Chiefs v Yadah (Luveve), Dynamos v CAPS United (NSS)
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