Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FC PLATINUM came to Rufaro and played their football, and for long spells Dynamos had no answers.
Joel Luphahla’s men controlled the game with slick passing and movement, pinning the Glamour Boys back and forcing them to chase shadows in a 1-1 draw that could easily have gone their way.
At the heart of it was Garikai Dematsika.
The dreadlocked forward powered FC Platinum ahead late in the first half and was a constant menace, capping a performance his coach believes has put him in line for national team recognition.
“Garikai Dematsika is a good player. He is one player that I think will be ready for the Warriors soon,” said Luphahla.
He had reason to say so.
Dematsika bullied the Dynamos defence, won key duels and came close to a second goal after the break, only to be denied by the woodwork with goalkeeper Tatenda Makoni beaten.
Dynamos needed a penalty, converted by Abel Gwatidzo early in the second half, to get back into the game.
But even then, FC Platinum remained the more composed side.
They moved the ball with confidence, kept their shape and dictated the tempo, showing a level of control that had even the Rufaro crowd appreciating passages of their play.
On another day, they take all three points.
Luphahla, however, was left frustrated by his players’ lack of composure in key moments, especially their reaction to referee Israel Nhepera’s decisions.
“I am a bit disappointed with my players,” he said.
“They ought to know that being emotional always can actually disrupt their concentration levels.
“We are leading and the opponent gets a penalty and you mob the ref.
“I think this is one area we need to improve on. We were playing better than them and we should have concentrated more without letting emotions get the better of us.”
He added:
“We had a game plan and it worked well, only that we couldn’t get the maximum points.”
There were positives he could not ignore.
This was a performance that underlined FC Platinum’s identity, built on possession, movement and control, and for the first time this season, Luphahla looked like a coach fully settled into his role.
“Yeah now I am feeling confident that my methods can work,” he said.
“I am happy right now.”
