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Mukudzei Chingwere Midlands Bureau
FC PLATINUM coach Norman Mapeza will get to see how far he has gone with his team’s preparations for their return to the CAF Champions League when they face Mozambican champions Ferroviario da Beira at Mandava this afternoon. The Zimbabwean football kings return to Zvishavane this weekend after a crash training programme in Bulawayo. Mapeza said the international friendly, which is part of their pre-season training, would be important in assessing the physical condition of his players.
FC Platinum new signings will also have a chance to play before their fans at their home ground this afternoon. “The team has trained for two weeks while standard pre-season (training) usually takes six weeks. (However) we have managed to put in a lot of work and (we) are confident of the progress that we have made. The importance of the friendly games is just to see how far we have progressed in terms of physical fitness. Remember we have been training only for two weeks,” said Mapeza.
The former Zimbabwe international said they will work hard in the available four weeks of their pre-season to be ready for battle ahead of the start of their 2018 CAF Champions adventure. Mapeza and his charges have been in camp for two weeks and with as many weeks left before plunging into their Champions League sojourn on February 11, against Angolan champions Clube Desportivo de Agosto.
Zimbabwe’s representative in Africa’s premier club competition have set themselves an initial target of reaching at least the group stages of the competition. CAPS United set the benchmark last year.
Online Reporter