The Sunday Mail
Makomborero Mutimukulu – Acting Sports Editor
IT’S not the blockbuster-bring-the-country-to-a-standstill final that most people would have hoped for.
However, for the football purists the clash between FC Platinum and Harare City at Mandava in the 2014 Chibuku Super Cup final is the perfect duel: a celebration of the passing game.
The match kicks off at 3pm and a dollar is good enough to get one an entry ticket.
For all their financial muscle both teams are not considered among the big boys of local football in far as support bases are concerned, but they have shown that they deserve to compete in this final.
They have done the business.
FC Platinum dismissed Bantu Rovers 3-0 in the first round before sidelining Caps United and Black Rhinos with identical 1-0 score lines in the quarter and semifinals, respectively.
Harare City accounted for ZPC Kariba 1-0 in the round of 16, dismissed Chiredzi 2-1 in the last eight and hammered Highlanders 3-0 in the semi-finals.
Both teams believe in passing their way to glory, rarely do they hoof the ball forward and ask their strikers to do a Usain Bolt.
Their play is easy on the eye and they boast of talent that can produce magic.
Okay, they are not Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. But they have sure brought back a passing game that the local scene has sorely missed.
For FC Platinum, Obrey Chirwa remains the go-to man for unlocking defences; while the pair of Wisdom Mutasa and Walter Musona, whose bodies are responding well to hours in the gym, can be trusted with icing the neat moves with goals.
Tatenda Dzumbunu has the Hollywood looks but his job is not the most glamourous. His is to mop up any messes in the midfield.
At City, Francesco Zekumbawire, whom we feature elsewhere on these pages, is the game-winner having rediscovered the form that made him the most sought-after striker in Zimbabwe a couple of seasons back.
Zekumbawire scored one of the goals as his side dismissed Bosso in the semifinal and his teammates will be hoping for another big show from the big man.
While man-for-man its looks like even-stevens, Norman Mapeza and his youthful FC Platinum brigade will take to the pitch as favourites.
Why?
Form wise FC Platinum have got it going as they are unbeaten in the last five league matches and have a top-four finish secured.
Pure Platinum Play have won their last three games at Mandava dismissing Chicken Inn and ZPC Kariba by identical 2-0 margins, as well as suffocating Moses “Bambo” Chunga’s Buffaloes 2-1.
The last time the two teams met at Rufaro Stadium, FC Platinum beat Harare City 2-0 with Musona and Donald Ngoma getting on the score sheet.
With the favourites tag firmly on them, Mapeza is wary of pressure stifling his youngsters.
“We are under a lot of pressure but we have to show character,” said the FC Platinum coach.
Harare City are winless in their last five games and relegation stalks them – a nasty turn of events following an impressive start to Masimba Dinyero’s reign as head coach.
If given a choice, they would probably choose having a Premiership lifeline above cup glory.
They can have both, too. But you get what you work for.
When the right to step up to FC Platinum was secured, courtesy of a 3-0 mauling of a bonkers Bosso, this final was viewed as a perfect chance for Dinyero to engrave his name on the Harare City coaching seat.
However, a couple of horror weeks later the final has become a side-show as the need to survive the chop is occupying the faculties of everyone associated with the Sunshine Boys.
After coming close to winning the league title last season, the municipal side has looked out of sea without a compass for most of 2014 and their floundering can be traced to the after-effects of punching above their weight and failing to hit the glory spot in 2013.
Skipper David Kutyauripo has been through a lot in his journeyman football career but the defender admits the season they are having at City is difficult to comprehend.
“I guess the only explanation is it’s football,” said the veteran defender, who returns to the squad after missing the 2-3 fall to ZPC Kariba and last week’s stalemate with Makepekepe due to suspension.
Kutyauripo, who was red carded in the 3-5 defeat to Dynamos, returns to partner Arnold Chaka at the centre of defence and reckons a cup triumph can atone for a largely underwhelming season.
“Things haven’t gone well for us this season, we are not where we expected to be and it’s up to us the players to show character and get the team out of the sticky relegation situation we find ourselves in.
“However, before we deal with the relegation equation we have a cup final to play and we want to give it our best shot. We have worked so hard to be in this final and just like FC Platinum we want to win it,” said Kutyauripo.
Form Guide:
FC Platinum : Last Five PSL macthes
Harare City 0-2 FC Platinum
FC Platinum 2-0 ZPC Kariba
CAPS United 0-0 FC Platinum
FC Platinum 2-0 Chicken Inn
Hwange 0-1 FC Platinum
Harare City: Last Five PSL matches
Harare City 0-2 FC Platinum
Buffaloes 3-2 Harare City
Harare City 3-5 Dynamos
Harare City 2-3 ZPC Kariba
Caps United 1-1 Harare City.
