FC Platinum get timely boost

They secured $45 000 sponsorship for their meals in Harare for the 2012 season from Con-Plant Technology. This is a good development for the club.
Already the club boasts of selling more replicas than any other team in the land and has a number of commercial activities set to be unveiled soon.
To cap their good first leg outing in Swaziland where they won 4-2 in the first leg of the preliminary round of the Champions League, the Harare company hosted a dinner for them at which the $45 000 sponsorship was announced.
The company which is into mining and construction equipment, is a business partner of Mimosa Mines.
Speaking at the ceremony on Monday evening, the company’s managing director Bernard Chiondegwa said his company decided to sponsor the team because it was into business partnership with Mimosa Mines. He implored on the players to take the challenge and go all the way and conquer both Zimbabwe and the continent. He said he was confident that this would be the year of reckoning for the club.
“We have decided to pay for all your meals for Harare league games including Independence, Bob 88 Super Cup, Heroes and BancABC as part of our sponsorship. This has come by as a result of the long business relationship we have with Platinum.
“You are in the right direction so keep up the momentum when playing both domestic and continental football,” said Chiondegwa.
Elliot Manyika a Mimosa company executive present at the function commended the boys for a job well done in Swaziland.
“You guys did us proud, you started very well, we thank our business partners Con-Plant, you must focus on winning coming matches,” said Manyika.
Tendai Makoni the chairman of the Harare supporters association chapter commended FC Platinum for the good result.
“Its their maiden African Safari and to start with such a            good result makes us proud, we congratulate them and we hope in two weeks time they will finish off the visitors at home. We are happy that sponsors are taking up the challenge to support the team,” said Makoni.
The team was on Tuesday met by joyous supporters 10km from the asbestos mining town. The supporters who were in a colourful vehicle convoy, joined the team and drove to Mandava and Makwasha suburbs to celebrate the team’s victory.
This is FC Platinum’s inaugural participation in the Africa Safari which comes in their second year in the Premiership.
They were not the only ones involved in continental football as Hwange were 3-0 winners against Jamhuri in Zanzibar while Motor Action played a 1-1 draw against Black Leopards of South Africa.
Hwange and Motor Action are taking part in the Caf Confederation Cup with FC Platinum and champions Dynamos are in the Champions League.
Dynamos received a bye for the preliminary round.
Meanwhile, FC Platinum have declared that they need nothing short of victory on Sunday when they play Hwange in the Bob 88 Super Cup final.
The miners are fresh from their victory last Sunday in Swaziland where they put one foot in the next round with a victory.
“We are very happy because the Bob 88 Super Cup is our first cup final since gaining promotion in the Premiership.                          We are taking the match seriously and we started our preparations as usual despite the fact  that we lost training time because of travelling,” said Philimon Muvengwa the club secretary.
“The important thing to us is joining the entire nation in celebrating His Excellency’s birthday. It is our wish that the trophy being the second edition changes base.
“We respect Hwange as they are a very good side. They have done a lot as they finished on a very good position on the log last season proving to the nation that they are a formidable side. The Zanzibar result speaks volumes of the coalminers’ potential but however the Bob 88 Super Cup should find its way to Zvishavane on Sunday.”
The Platinum miners will miss their coach who will be with the national team in Burundi with influential players Donald Ngoma and Charles Sibanda.
“We signed 25 players in our books so whoever gets the opportunity to play will give us the required results. It is also an opportunity for the assistant coaches to feel the heat in the absence of Gumbo.
Tendai Chikuni will be in charge and it will be his second game at the helm. Chikuni guided the platinum stars to victory in a Zvishavane derby when they beat Shabanie Mine  1-0.
Captain Zephaniah Ngodzo, Qadr Amin, Daniel Veremu, Gilbert Banda, Cabby Kamhapa, Allen Gahadzikwa, Mitchelle Katsvairo, Rowan Nenzou, Ali Sadiki, Welcome Ndiweni, Benjamin Marere, Joel Ngodzo and Simon Shoko are the team’s potential matchwinners.
Hwange will look forward to the exploits of captain Rodwell Chinyengetere, Soccer Star of the Year finalist Nkosana Siwela, Gilbert Zulu and the underrated Tongai Mamina and promising young goalkeeper Petros Mhari.