Chikuni expects tough match

hard this season. They dwell on teamwork, have good fighting spirit and I feel we have to accord them the respect” said Chikuni.
“I am not dwelling on history. It does not play a part in this match and it is also our first time to meet in a Cup game. It is not going to be easy for any team and I am not thinking of any other game before I am done with this one. There is money involved, so it will be a different ball game altogether. It is the players who will decide the outcome of the match. I might have a game plan but with derbies it is very difficult.”
Under Chikuni, FC Platinum lifted their first silverware since gaining promotion when they won the Bob 88 Super Cup.
Kugona Kunenge Kudada will be at home tomorrow.
“We are not going to relax despite playing at home. We are the team which travelled the longest distance in the Mbada Cup when we went to Kariba and very few people gave us the chance to qualify but we managed to stun Harare City.”
Last season FC Platinum lost only one match at Mandava but this season the story has been different.
Captain Zephaniah Ngodzo has lost the captaincy and Daniel Veremu is now leading the team while Thabani Kamusoko is his assistant. Ali Sadiki, Mitchelle Katsvairo, Donald Ngoma, young Rapheal Muduviwa and ‘keeper Tafadzwa Dube, who is expected to keep goals despite conceding three against Motor Action, are the key players.
FC Platinum players earn more than those playing for any other team in the domestic Premiership and have arguably the best working conditions in the league.
Last season the miners were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Dynamos and, interestingly, the winner of tomorrow’s tie will certainly meet DeMbare in the semi-finals.