The Sunday Mail
Mukudzei Chingwere in Zvishavane
FC Platinum . . . . . . . . . . . .1
ZPC Kariba . . . . . . .. . . .. . .. . 2
FC PLATINUM suffered their first league defeat at Mandava since 2016 as Norman Mapeza’s defending champions paid the price for being so poor at the back.
The hosts struggled in the absence of regular centre back Kelvin Moyo who is on trial at SuperSport United in South Africa and ZPC Kariba capitalized, scoring twice either half through Tawanda Munyanduri and Tawanda Nyamandwe.
Reigning Soccer Star of the Year Rodwell Chinyengetere scored FC Platinum’s solitary goal.
The last time FC Platinum tasted defeat in the league at Mandava was way back in June 2016 and coincidentally it was ZPC Kariba who handed them that loss.
ZPC Kariba always find a way against Pure Platinum Play in Zvishavane and yesterday Kauya Katuruturu were ahead after 18 minutes when Munyanduri headed home a Moses Demera corner kick. Veteran striker Nyamandwe made it 2-0 four minutes after the restart when he beat an offside trap to beat Petros Mhari in goals for FC Platinum Play.
The only consolation for FC Platinum was that their closest rivals Ngezi Platinum Stars also lost in Harare against Herentals and they still lead by a six-point gap.
“In a game of football you are bound to get these results, today it did happen we lost the game, credit to ZPC Kariba and now we have to move on to look at our next game,” Mapeza said.
“It was just not on, nothing worked well for us today, we conceded a free-kick and again the offside trap was not well organised.
“(William) Sitima did well, I do not think it is fair to these guys if we start talking of the players who are not here, that is why we have a 25-man squad,” said Mapeza.
The Coach of the Year surprisingly chose to bench big central defender Lawrence Mhlanga, in the absence of Moyo and the decision backfired heavily. But the gaffer insisted at the final whistle that it was not their backline which did not come to the party but rather the team as a whole that was pathetic. ZPC Kariba Coach Godfrey Tamirepi rubbed salt into FC Platinum’s wound as he claimed that the miners were fortunate to lose by a smaller margin.
“They were actually fortunate, had we taken our chances they could have lost by a bigger margin like four or more goals,” said Tamirepi.
“But all the same we played very well, credit to the boys we started very well and finished very well, our game plan worked very well.
“Playing against champions and also a team which is aspiring to be a champion I think we did very well.
“Remember we are not safe from relegation and that is our target to be safe,” said Tamirepi.
Kauya Katuruturu are now ninth on the log with 22 points from 18 matches.
Teams:
FC Platinum: P. Mhari, R. Muduviwa, W. Sitima, G. Bello, E. Moyo, W. Mhango, F. Madhanhanga, R. Chinyengetere, R. Kutsanzira (G. Mbweti 52’), A. Sadiki (C. Sibanda 52’), M. Dube (N Tigere 79)
ZPC Kariba: T. Hove, P. Ghani, M. Kunyarimwe, I. Nekati, S. Appiah, T. Munyanduri, B. Zuberi, C. Muleya, T. Chamboko (S. Makawa 87), M. Demera (T. Ranthokoane 90), T. Nyamandwe (G. Mangani 79)
