Tight title race looms as FC Platinum drop points

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

LOG leaders FC Platinum faltered in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title race after falling to Black Rhinos on Saturday.

The defending champions suffered a 1-0 loss to the army side in Harare in the absence of head coach Norman Mapeza, who was reportedly off sick.

Though it was only their third defeat of the season, the Zvishavane-based outfit should be worried about dropping points in what is turning out to be a tight title race.

“As a coach you get worried when you lose a game, but the boys played well. Now we have to pick ourselves up and soldier on as the race is still on. We have the Champions League coming up and this loss is a learning process for us as it helps us note our weak areas in preparation for the continental showpiece,” said FC Platinum assistance coach Lizwe Sweswe.

FC Platinum will be away to Nyasa Bullets of Malawi, who are coached by former Warriors and Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa, in the Caf Champions League preliminary round next weekend.

Fighting a war on two fronts presents a tricky situation for the champions, who want to better last season’s Champions League performance and at the same time claim their third consecutive league title.

FC Platinum lost four matches on their way to the 2018 league title.

With 16 games played, the platinum miners remain top of the table with 31 points.

Their closest rivals Chicken Inn, who were inactive at the weekend, are two points behind and now have a game in hand, presenting them with a good chance of going top.

With the Gamecocks breathing down FC Platinum’s neck, the champions have done well to hold on to pole position in the midst of problems they have faced in recent weeks.

The reigning champions have lost several players in the mid-season transfer window, with the defensive pair of twins Kevin and Elvis Moyo recently joining Chippa United in the Absa Premiership.

Farai Madhananga became the latest FC Platinum player to leave the club for Bidvest Wits.

Elsewhere, Caps United’s inconsistency demon manifested when they succumbed to a 1-2 loss at home to Ngezi Platinum Stars to remain rooted on 27 points, five behind FC Platinum.

The biggest movers on the table were Dynamos who moved into seventh position with 23 points.

Their 1-0 victory over Harare City was Tonderai Ndiraya’s fifth since taking over the reins from Lloyd Chigowe.

Mid-season signings seem to be working wonders for Dynamos, but it remains debatable whether the Harare giants are on the rise or not.

Results

Black Rhinos 1-0 FC Platinum, Chapungu 1-1 Manica Diamonds, Harare City 0-1 Dynamos, Caps United1-2 Ngezi Platinum, Mushowani 2-2 ZPC Kariba, Hwange1-1 Telone

Table

P W D L F A GD Pts

FC Platinum 16 9 4 3 18 7 11 31

Chicken Inn 15 9 2 4 25 9 16 29

Caps United 16 8 3 5 27 19 8 27

Black Rhinos 16 7 6 3 16 14 2 27

Ngezi 16 6 7 3 15 11 4 25

ZPC Kariba 16 6 6 4 11 12 -1 24

Dynamos 16 6 5 5 11 11 0 23

Triangle 15 6 4 5 18 16 2 22

Hwange 16 6 4 6 15 19 -4 22

Chapungu 16 5 6 5 16 14 2 21