adminLovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
CHAPUNGU face an acid test when they take on FC Platinum in a Premiership encounter at Ascot Stadium today.
The Gweru-based side is unbeaten in the league at home since gaining promotion into the top flight league.
Chapungu and the platinum miners will rekindle their rivalry which dates back to 2010 when both teams were still in the Zifa Central Soccer League and battling for the sole promotional ticket from the region into the Premiership.
FC Platinum (then Mimosa) eventually pipped the airmen for the Premiership spot after beating Hardbody 1-0 at Mandava Stadium on the last day of the season in which they needed a draw to be confirmed the inaugural regional champions.
“Waru Waru” needed an outright win and were hoping that the Zvishavane based side would lose their last match to gain promotion but were held to a one all draw by Gwanda-based McInn which effectively handed FC Platinum the championship.
Earlier, FC Platinum had halted Chapungu’s seven match unbeaten run after edging the Airforce of Zimbabwe side 2-1 at Ascot Stadium.
Chapungu turned the tables in the reverse fixture handing “Kugona Kunenge Kudada” a 1-0 defeat at Mandava in the process blowing up in smoke the hosts’ 18-match unbeaten run.
The feat, which was the longest unbeaten run in the Central Soccer League, was only broken last season, ironically by Chapungu who went for 23 matches unbeaten.
It is from this record that the platinum miners might fancy themselves as the side to come out of Ascot with maximum points for the first time after giants like Dynamos and Caps United came out empty handed.
Ralph Kawondera, the FC Platinum assistant coach, conceded that getting a result would be difficult but said Chapungu could be beaten in Gweru.
Chapungu chairman Acroid Moyo expressed confidence that his boys would stay unbeaten.
Chapungu lost their last league match 0-2 to Buffaloes.
Despite the military being known for its discipline, the Airforce of Zimbabwe side are now officially the league’s bad boys as five of their players have been red carded so far and today they will miss the services of Farai Manase who was shown a red card during the Buffaloes game.
Online Reporter