adminPaul Mundandi in ZVISHAVANE
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza yesterday dropped veterans — Daniel Veremu and Allan Gahadzikwa — from the team’s travelling party ahead of their Caf Confederation Cup tie against Sopafaka of Kenya in Nairobi on Sunday.Mapeza said his men will not be under pressure when they take on the Kenyan side in their backyard.
“I do not want to put myself under pressure. We have a new squad and young players who need exposure,” said Mapeza. The majority of my guys are in the Under-23 national team.
“Pressure is always there but I will not put the players under pressure. The supporters have been supporting me since the first day I came here and I still need their support and I hope to repay them by coming with a positive result from Kenya.”
Mapeza dropped skipper Veremu and midfielder Gahadzikwa from the squad that will plunge into battle in Nairobi.
New signing Nqobizitha Masuku and Obrey “Chola” Chirwa, the exciting young Zambian forward, who was one of the standout players at the team last season, did not make the 19-man squad.
Chirwa is still to recover after being attacked by a bout of malaria in Zambia.
His absence will be a huge blow for the miners as Chirwa is highly-regarded and has been instrumental in the team’s success story since Mapeza’s arrival.
Veremu is also reported not to be fully fit. “I am working on the combinations. In the friendly matches we played, we were not looking much into results,” said Mapeza.
“We are in the right direction. I do not know much about our opponents but what I gathered was that they were allowed to register seven foreigners by the Kenyan Football Federation.
“The first 15 minutes of the game will give us a clear picture of what we can do. I have no injury worries and I am happy with our new additions because I heard Brian (Muzondiwa), Wellington (Kamudyariwa) are doing well, it’s a new environment, new culture and we will give them time.”
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe international forward, Ali Sadiki has rallied behind his old FC Platinum teammates ahead of their clash against Sopafaka.
Sadiki was an FC Platinum star before he moved to Congolese giants TP Mazembe last year.
Yesterday, he said it was important for his former teammates to adjust their game. “They have to fight and keep possession and, most importantly, they must not give away possession in their own half unnecessarily,” said Sadiki from his base in Lubumbashi.
“The team must also be united and cover for each other. They must attack and defend as a team and I see them winning. Mapeza (Norman)has experience in coaching and playing in foreign lands and he will definitely get it right.
“With the love I have for the team, all I want to see is them shining and producing pure platinum play.”
Sadiki said he still follows Zimbabwean football closely. “I hope one day one team will reach the final like what Dynamos did and that will see us getting more slots in the Champions League,” he said.
FC Platinum will leave Zvishavane this morning and will have a training session in the afternoon in Harare.
Squad
P Mhari,R Muduviwa,K Moyo,E Moyo,G Bello,T Kamusoko,W Mutasa,W Musona,T Dzumbunu,D Ngoma,B Muzondiwa, F Tizayi, A Katebe, S Shoko, W Kamudyariwa, N Papias, N Maziwisa.
Online Reporter