Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SCOTTLAND coach Norman Mapeza has admitted going back to Mandava for a date against his former team FC Platinum tomorrow will be an emotional moment given the long period he worked for the Zvishavane miners.
Mapeza won three Castle Lager Premier Soccer League titles and several other pieces of silverware with FC Platinum before crossing the floor at the beginning of this season to join champions Scottland.
“I have been in Zvishavane for nearly a decade. I have friends and it was like my second home.
“So, it’s an emotional feeling going back to a place where I grew up as a coach,” Mapeza said.
The move to join Scottland came as a surprise, as FC Platinum were regarded as one of the most stable clubs in the Premiership, known for not hiring and firing coaches.
Back then, Mapeza said the separation was mutual.
But tomorrow, Mapeza could spoil the party in Zvishavane.
“I’m going there to play football. I’m at Scottland now and it’s important to go there and come up with a positive result.”
Scottland are coming from a 2-1 loss to 2024 champions Simba Bhora, their first defeat of the 2026 season.
Mapeza said they need to overcome that disappointment to be able to keep the pace with the leading teams.
“They (players) tend to struggle mentally . . . I spoke to the boys when we started training on Tuesday . . . It’s a game of football.
“In this industry, it’s part of the journey.
“There was a point where we were going to drop points, and it happened on Sunday,” he said.
The Scottland coach believes they were just unlucky against Simba Bhora.
“But in terms of performance, in the first half, we played very well. If we had buried those chances, maybe we would be talking a different story.
“But it’s all part of the game. We have been working in training . . . The goals we conceded, we could have avoided.”
Scotland sits fourth on the log standings with 17 points from 10 games.
They are five points adrift of log leaders CAPS United.
From last week’s battle, Scottland lost more than just points but also a number of players, including their top goal scorer Khama Billiat, midfielder Kingsley Mureremba and veteran Knowledge Musona, who suffered injuries.
Simba Bhora were getting too physical in that contest, and some of their players were lucky to escape with just verbal cautions.
But the toll was huge on Mapeza’s side.
“ . . . There were some moments I felt there were some hard tackles,” Mapeza said, adding that as a result, the Mabvuku side will not be able to field some of their stars at Mandava.
“If you look at Knowledge Musona, he finished the game with a swollen ankle.
“Kingsley (Mureremba) had a problem with his ankle, Khama (Billiat) is out. He is having a problem with his groin. Terrence (Dzvukamanja) is out and (Tadiwa) Chakuchichi is also out,” he said.
