Mapeza ready for Bosso

Paul Mundandi in Zvishavane
NORMAN Mapeza, the FC Platinum coach, is relishing his side’s opportunity of meeting one of the country’s soccer heavyweights Highlanders in the quarter-finals of the $433 000 Easycall Cup at Mandava on Sunday.

Bosso were the first team to beat Mapeza at home at Mandava when he joined FC Platinum last season. He, however, managed to hold them to a draw in their first meeting at the same venue and later went to collect maximum points at Barbourfields following a 2-1 victory in the reverse fixture.

Mapeza yesterday said their 2-1 victory over Bosso in their last meeting was now history and they were now focused on Sunday’s clash in the Easycall Cup quarter-finals at Mandava.

“We are happy with our preparations. We have no injury worries and we can’t talk of the weather as the whole country is experiencing some hot spells at the moment. Our guys are raring to go

“The first time I came here I lost to Highlanders in the league but this season we drew with them at home and then beat them away in Bulawayo. I think they do well when they are playing at Mandava.

“We are going to try and get a positive result so that we go through to the next round,” said Mapeza.

But the former Warriors linkman, who saw his team lose to Dynamos in the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals at the National Sports Stadium after a penalty shoot-out, will be happy to add the Easycall Cup to his trophy cabinet.

“We need to do well in this tournament and proceed to the next round but this Cup competition came a little bit late and it loses its value. Why bring such a big tournament at the end of the season?

“The players minds are thinking of going on holiday and it’s not easy to motivate them when they are thinking of going on holiday.

“It (the tournament) should have come at the beginning of the season. At the end of the day there is nothing we can do but we have to take part in it.

“We appreciate our fans’ support, we are moving on a tight schedule, we have to play in the Cup competition and we have to play the league; and they have to understand that at the end of the day it is not going to be easy for us as we are moving on a tight schedule.

“The most important thing is to play well. If we are winning everyone is motivated and we do not want to lose the game (against Highlanders) on Sunday. If we lose the game on Sunday we will start having some homeworks, checking on what went wrong. “If you win there might be some negatives and positives but the most important thing is winning. We want to win and see what happens in the semi-finals,” Mapeza said.

The Easycall Cup might come as a blessing in disguise to some clubs who were likely to end the season trophyless. It will, however, be a distraction to Chicken Inn, FC Platinum and Dynamos as the three teams still stand a chance of winning the league title.

Dynamos might be six points behind the leaders Chicken Inn but they still have a small chance of winnning the league title.

FC Platinum have been picking up some points and are now hot favorites to lift the league title in the event that the Gamecocks falter in one of their remaining three matches.

“We are fighting for the championship and it is draining. It’s taxing for the players because we are not pushing for a top eight finish but for the championship,” Mapeza said.

“The timing for staging the Cup tournament is wrong. We play against Highlanders on Sunday and we will travel to Harare on Tuesday for a game against Flame Lily the following day. We will be back again in Zvishavane for the game against CAPS United on Saturday.”

Mapeza feels the travelling will be taxing for his players. It can also have some impact on his championship hopes as the players risk injuries as well as fatigue that comes with the travelling.

“Those who are not pushing for the championship will welcome this tournament but for us it’s different,” said Mapeza. The FC Platinum gaffer also feels that there should be a programme that must be availed so that coaches will have to plan properly as they will be aware of the dates of the cup competitions that will be played during the season. Winners of the Easycall Cup will walk away with US$80 000 with losing finalists pocketing US$50 000.