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Paul Mundandi in Zvishavane
FC PLATINUM gaffer Norman Mapeza insists there are no easy games in the Castle Lager Premiership run-in and is expecting a tough assignment against relegation-threatened Flame Lily at Lafarge this afternoon. Flame Lily will host the platinum miners knowing that nothing short of a victory will see them joining doomed Dongo Sawmills in a quick return to Division One football.
It is for that reason that Mapeza believes the prison wardens will fight tooth and nail in their bid to survive and the former Monomotapa coach, who has won the Castle Lager Coach of the Month award on three successive occasions between July and September, is under no illusions about the task awaiting his charges.
While Flame Lily are fighting for their Premiership life, FC Platinum will arrive in Harare knowing that a failure to win and victory by leaders Chicken Inn over Tsholotsho in Bulawayo will severely dent their title aspirations.
FC Platinum trail Chicken Inn by two points with each side having played 27 games to date. It is the second time in their short Premiership life that FC Platinum have launched a strong title campaign and taken the race to the wire. In 2011 they lost to champions Dynamos on goal difference.
Mapeza was yesterday preaching the gospel of focus, insisting they were not bothering themselves much about what would be happening to Chicken Inn. “Their position makes everything difficult and it’s not going to be easy for us. We have to work hard to get positive results and as platinum all we need to do is remain focused.
“We are also not fighting for the championship because we are trailing Chicken Inn with two points. If we were on number one we could say yes, but you can’t fight for the number one position when you are on number two or three”
“We are also not even worried about what is happening on the other side of the town, but all we are doing is concentrating on our remaining matches that we need to collect maximum points and we will see the drama that will unfold at the end of the season,’’ said Mapeza. Mapeza said the fact that despite throwing into battle his strongest team in the NetOne Easycall Cup showed that he is chasing glory on all fronts.
“We lost to Highlanders after I fielded my strongest side. By fielding my strongest side it showed that I wanted to go far and reach the final in the Easycall Cup, but now to me it’s water under the bridge and life goes on for us. In a match you win, draw or lose and for us we are remaining focused,’’ Mapeza said.
Flame Lily’s young coach Takesure Chiragwi was yesterday confident they would achieve their goal to survive the chop and reckoned that the prison warders would not be intimidated by FC Platinum’s somewhat lofty status. “As Flame Lily we are geared up for the match and we have enough arsenal. They might have names in their squad, but names do not play football.
“If it was Barcelona or Real Madrid we were still going to play them because the game (Platinum game) was on the fixture and there was no way we could have avoided them. We are taking it just like any other game, but we need to play and win the match to avoid relegation. I have confidence in every player in my team and since we play as a team I will not single out anyone, but the experience of Norman (Maroto) will add value” said Chiragwi.
Flame Lily will be missing the services of Effort Kapini, Benard Musaka and Prosper Chinyama. FC Platinum will also be without injured striker Tarisai Rukanda. If Flame Lily lose this afternoon they would need to beat Whawha and Chicken Inn to avoid relegation and also hope that Tsholotsho will lose their three remaining matches.
FC Platinum will look up to their potent strike force of Brian Muzondiwa, Obrey Chirwa and Tatenda Mudehwe to inspire them to victory that will keep the pressure on the Gamecocks. In fact any slip-up by Chicken Inn could leave Mapeza on the verge of claiming his second championship medal as coach after doing the same with the now defunct Monomotapa in 2008.
Online Reporter