adminPaul Mundandi, Zvishavane Sport Correspondent
Young Africans are expecting a tough game against FC Platinum at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania tomorrow afternoon.
The match kicks off at 3PM local time.
“We are expecting a very tough match but to us it will be a very serious game as we want a win and they must be warned that the game will be played on our home turf. We are aware that they are different from the Botswana team whom we beat a fortnight ago.
“Platinum beat Sofapaka both at home and away and we have watched their games. We know how they play. They are organised, they attack as a team and defend as a team and their players are experienced. They also have a dangerous player who has dreadlocks,” said Jerry Muro, the Young Africans’ head of communications referring to Thabani Kamusoko.
“We have heard they are owned by a mining company and have everything at their disposal. They have money, good players and they are motivated but we want to beat them on Sunday.
“Our team is owned by members who pay monthly subscriptions and we depend on adverts and we are also supported by some television station. We have trained hard and we have players from different parts of the world,” he said.
Young Africans have five foreigners in their squad while FC Platinum has two Zambians Aaron Katebe and Obrey Chirwa.
“We have Andrey Coutinho from Brazil, Kpah Sherman from Cyprus, Hamis Tambwe (Burundi), Haruna Niyonzima (Rwanda) and Mbuyu Twite from DRC and a very experienced coach from Holland,” boasted Muro who sounded very confident of a victory.
Young Africans postponed their midweek match as they wanted to avoid injuries and are expecting 60,000 fans to cheer them up.
The Tanzanian team are going into the match coming from a 0-1 defeat at the hands of their fiercest rivals Simba Sports Club who beat them last Sunday in the Tanzanian derby.
Despite the defeat they are at the top of the log with 36 points from 18 matches.
Coutinho has scored eight goals.
The good news for the Zimbabweans is that Simba Sports Club have pledged to rally behind FC Platinum because of the intense rivalry with Young Africans.
FC Platinum according to their club secretary, Benson Wirimai were expected to arrive in Tanzania last night and will be booked at Tiffany Diamond Hotel.
There is a pool of exciting youngsters in Tatenda Dzumbunu, Walter Musona, Raphael Muduviwa, the Zambian Under-20 international Chirwa and the Moyo twins, Kelvin and Elvis at Norman Mapeza’s disposal.
Petros Mhari who has been wearing the arm band in the absence of Daniel Vheremu who is still working hard to gain fitness, is expecting a tough encounter.
“I’ve been to Tanzania in 2012 with Hwange in the same tournament but the match on Sunday is a different ball game. We are playing away from home and we expect a tough encounter,” said Mhari.
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