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Veronica Gwaze
Sports Reporter
FIVE years after he left FC Platinum for new pastures in Tanzania, attacking midfielder Never Tigere is set for an emotional return to Mandava on Saturday.
The midfielder, who won two championship titles and the Castle Challenge Cup with FC Platinum, will, however, be on opposing ends with Norman Mapeza’s men as he is now plying his trade with reigning league champions Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Tigere was one of the stand-out players at FC Platinum in his final year with the Zvishavane miners in 2019, which earned him a slot on the Castle Soccer Stars of the Year calendar.
He found the target five times in the Premiership for FC Platinum and weighed in with four goals in the miners’ failed Champions League campaign.
After helping FC Platinum to domestic success Tiger left to join Tanzanian club Azam and later moved on to Ihefu.
At the start of this year, he retraced his footsteps back home and settled for a move to Ngezi.
As FC Platinum host Ngezi in a top-of-the-table clash, it will be a somewhat emotional week for Tigere who had won the hearts of many fans and some neutrals at Mandava.
The midfielder said he was relishing the return to Zvishavane for the first time in half a decade.
“I feel happy to be travelling back to Mandava, the ‘home’ I left five years ago when I went to Tanzania.
“Mandava means a lot to me because that is the place that transformed my football journey . . . it brings back many memories of the good times and heartbreaks.
“I got my vast local and champions league experience in the two years that I was there.”
Tigere, who also had a stint at ZPC Kariba, credits FC Platinum for transforming him into a more complete player, becoming a better dribbler with sound technique and a knack for scoring beautiful goals.
He has also settled in well at Ngezi playing a key role in their audacious bid to defend their championship title.
Pressure is on Ngezi to overcome FC Platinum and reduce the five-point gap between the two sides in which the champions with 33 points, are second behind their opponents on the log.
FC Platinum fans will be quietly hoping that Tigere does not come to Mandava in peak form as they are aware of the damage he can do.
Ngezi fell 2-0 in the reverse fixture at Baobab, as the Mhondoro miners got off to a stuttering start to the season. But Tigere insists he will not be under pressure.
“I want to go there and play my game, without pressure or much emotion because we need points and pressure will not do me or the team any good.
“Mandava is not an easy place to play, their supporters play a crucial role and even when their team is down, they stand with them.
“On the pitch, the team is strong. I have in the past played with Rainsome Pavari, Lawrence Mhlanga, and Kelvin Mangiza and the guys are difficult to bring down.
“If we are to collect the points, we should be equally strong in all departments and play as a unit, create a lot of chances, and also make use of them,” Tigere said.
Online Reporter