DeMbare date FC Platinum in Chibuku Super Cup last eight

Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter

DYNAMOS coach Tonderai Ndiraya says FC Platinum are a tough opponent, but his charges will be ready for them.

The Glamour Boys were yesterday drawn to play the reigning Chibuku Super Cup champions in the quarter-finals.

DeMbare lost to the same opponents in the semi-finals last year before the Zvishavane miners subdued Ngezi Platinum via a penalty lottery in the final at Mandava.

And they come face-to-face with the same opponents in the last eight to be played in a fortnight.

Ndiraya said his team will throw everything to try and win the match.

“The draw is fair for any team which managed to reach the last eight. So every team at this level of the competition is good. And we were ready to face anyone including FC Platinum.

“But, look this is the same team who eliminated us at the semi-finals last year.

“They are the defending champions and the match will be very tough,” said Ndiraya.

“But, you know our team hasn’t won the Chibuku Super Cup and we will try to push.

“We know what needs to be done, we know we have to push hard. We need to do more to try and pass past the hurdle erected by FC Platinum.”

Team of the moment, Black Rhinos, who eliminated CAPS United in the first round, will have to up their ante as they have been drawn against Chicken Inn.

The army side though will draw confidence from the fact that they beat the Gamecocks in a league match 2-1 last week.

But club secretary general, Edward Mutukwa, said their coach Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa should not read much into the past.

“It’s a fair draw for us but we should always know that Chicken Inn are a big team. We won our last game against them in a league game but Chibuku Super Cup games are different from the league,” he said.

“We are not reading much into what happened in the past.

“Chicken Inn are a big team. We know this is a team which is capable of beating anyone in the league.

“But we are also eyeing to win the cup and we will go all out attacking on the day.”

The venues for the Chibuku Super Cup will be announced in the coming days. Herentals will face Manica Diamonds while Bulawayo Chiefs and Highlanders face off to complete the last eight fixtures.

But, before the eight can focus on the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals, they need to focus their energy on the league this weekend.

Herentals play CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium today with the Students coach Kumbirai Mutuwekuziva warning his charges to guard against reading much into the chaos in their opponents’ camp.

Makepekepe’s house is in flames with players boycotting training all week over unpaid salaries for the last three months.

“We cannot depend much on what is happening in our opponents camp. We should work on our own weaknesses and not to look at what is happening somewhere. We have gone for six matches without tasting defeat and we want to stretch that span,” said Mutuwekuziva.

Dynamos play Harare City at the National Sports tomorrow while Black Rhinos are away to Bulawayo Chiefs.

Chibuku Super Cup quarter -final draw

Dynamos v FC Platinum

Black Rhinos v Chicken Inn

Herentals v Manica Diamonds

Bulawayo Chiefs v Highlanders

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League fixtures

Today

Cranborne Bullets v Whahwa (Vengere)

Chicken Inn v Ngezi (Luveve)

CAPS Utd v Herentals (NSS)

FC Platinum v Manica Diamonds (Mandava)