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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
WHILE the blockbuster tie between Highlanders and Caps United qualifies as the pick of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches in the second week, mouthwatering encounters are also on the cards to keep fans captivated.
Defending champions FC Platinum, who kicked off their campaign with an away 2-0 win against Harare City, will be seeking to stretch their unbeaten run at their Mandava home to 11 games when they play host to tricky Triangle United this afternoon.
The platinum miners, who had an unbeaten home run of 36 league games from June 2016 to July 7, 2018 when they suffered a 1-2 loss to ZPC Kariba, are unbeaten in 10 matches, including two Caf Champions League encounters that they have played at Mandava Stadium. In the eight domestic matches, the Zvishavane side drew with Caps United on July 21 and that was followed by seven wins at Mandava.
FC Platinum’s opponents Triangle, have never won at Mandava where they have played six matches since their promotion in 2013.
Triangle, who also kicked off their 2019 season on a high note beating Ngezi Platinum Stars 2-1, have been improving with every outing and are among favourites to wrestle the title away from FC Platinum.
In their last two visits to Mandava, Triangle have managed to hold FC Platinum to identical 0-0 draws.
Today’s encounter presents FC Platinum with a real test and with both sides angling for the championship, the encounter promises to be a thriller.
Second on the table Chicken Inn travel to Harare to face Yadah whose camp was probably shattered by news that its benefactor Walter Magaya has put the team up for sale.
Yadah lost their opening game 2-0 away at Premiership returnees Hwange while Chicken Inn, who have made it known that they are gunning for the championship, beat ZPC Kariba 3-1.
The Joey Antipas coached Chicken Inn will be hoping to continue their dominance over Yadah, a side that they have beaten twice in Harare. The two have faced each other four times in the league, with Chicken Inn winning twice, drawing once and losing once.
For a side that is on the verge of losing a sponsor, Yadah will be hoping that a victory over a “strong” Chicken Inn will enhance their chances of getting a sponsor to save them.
Last season’s runners-up Ngezi Platinum Stars will be hoping to bounce back from last weekend’s 2-1 away loss to Triangle and pile more misery on Premiership newboys Mushowani who lost their first game 2-0 to Dynamos. With both teams coming from defeats, they are likely to up their game as they search for maximum points to keep up with the rest of the teams.
Ngezi coach Erol Akbay is feeling the heat as his employers are reportedly said to have told the Dutch-expatriate that they want the championship.
Also smarting from defeats are pre-season “big spenders” Manica Diamonds who play host to Harare City at their adopted home Gibbo Stadium. Diamonds were clobbered 2-0 by Caps United in their debut Premiership match, with City losing by the same scoreline to FC Platinum.
At Luveve Stadium, Bulawayo Chiefs, the biggest losers on the opening weekend as they went down 5-0 to Chapungu, entertain newboys TelOne FC who played to a 0-0 draw against Herentals in Harare. Following the heavy defeat to Chapungu, Chiefs recalled coach Thulani Sibanda, who had quit the club, to assist Joseph Sibindi.
Match day Two fixtures
Today: Ngezi Platinum v Mushowani Stars (Baobab), Bulawayo Chiefs v TelOne (Luveve), ZPC Kariba v Herentals (Nyamhunga), Yadah v Chicken Inn (Rufaro), FC Platinum v Triangle United (Mandava)
Tomorrow: Highlanders v Caps United (Barbourfields), Manica Diamonds v Harare City (Gibbo), Dynamos v Hwange (Rufaro), Chapungu v Black Rhinos (Mandava).
— @ZililoR
Online Reporter