dyton mupawaenda
Veronica Gwaze-Sports Reporter
WHEN Herentals faced four-time Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions FC Platinum at the National Sports Stadium on Monday, the minnows only needed one result — a victory and nothing less.
And a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a 63rd minute Tino Benza decisive goal gave them just that.
The lanky 2022 Soccer Star of the Year finalist fired home a Milton Chimedza’s through pass in a fine show that had the Kumbirayi Mutiwekuziva-led side enviously guarding their defensive end from the onset.
Approaching the game as the underdogs, Herentals’ coach Mutiwekuziva revealed that they had to play a tactical game to walk away with the much-needed victory.
This, he notes, would also hand them some bragging powers considering that last season, they also defeated the same opponent, at the same venue with an identical scoreline.
Ironically, it was also on match day seven just like on Monday and the outing was similarly emotionally charged, leaving the visitors not only bitter but frustrated.
“We simply won this one tactically, our matches against FC Platinum have always been intense so somehow my boys get motivated because they will be aware of what they will be getting into,” chuckled Mutiwekuziva.
“We managed to get it right, the application was simple counter-attack and it worked well, particularly in the second half whereby we utilised the chance that came.
“I also warned them against complacency and the need to change their attitude because we could not afford to continue losing points.”
After bagging maximum points, Herentals now sit on position eight on the log standings up from 13th with 10 points while the platinum miners are on number six with 11 points.
The Herentals gaffer revealed that, for some time, they have studied the perennial champions from a distance hence they knew how best to prepare ahead of their clash.
Their plan was to destabilise the defending champions and also dig deep defensively to deny them any scoring chances.
“We have known FC Platinum for a long time from studying and also playing them home and away so we knew how they do business on the pitch, especially under their coach Norman Mapeza,” Mutiwekuziva said.
“All we do whenever we face them is to come up with a strategy to destabilise them, this is how we did it again last year.
“We know that they are good at ball possession compared to us so counter-attack had to be the way.
“We also added a few more tactics on their weaknesses and I am happy because all this paid off and we took home maximum points.”
Mutiwekuziva paid tribute to the “Schoolboys’’ for the fine performance, maintaining their concentration levels and sticking to the game-plan.
He added that in the past weeks, his charges have been lapsing on concentration hence they ended up conceding goals.
“I am happy that they stuck to the plan, creating attacking space, using speed and an ever solid defence,” said the Herentals coach.
“Concentration was actually our biggest message of the training week, we needed to focus.
“Defensively, we were actually excellent and a clean sheet against such a big opponent was a plus for us because this is something we have been failing to do.
“Remember we were the underdogs and walking away with victory means so much for us,” said Mutiwekuziva.
“It shows that we can match them and if we can match the champions then we have the capacity to contest anyone . . . in fact it gives us a lot of confidence going forward.
Online Reporter