The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere in Bulawayo —
Tsholotsho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
FC Platinum. . . . . . . . . . . . .(2) 3
FC PLATINUM coach Norman Mapeza refused to be labeled a loser after his men were beaten to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title by Caps United despite convincingly dispatching Tsholotsho in the season’s closing fixture.
Two first half goals by Rodwell Chinyengetere and speedy Marshal Mudehwe, plus a second half strike by Gerald Takwara gave Mapeza’s men three points on the day.
However, the win won’t count for much as Caps United beat Chapungu at Ascot to claim the 2016 title. It was a must win match for the Zvishavane based miners who also had an eye on the match at Ascot where they wanted anything but a Caps United win to cut the two points gap between them.
In the end, they managed to win their match but could not do anything to stop Caps United and become the first team from outside the two cities of Bulawayo and Harare to win the league since St Paul’s Musami achieved the feat in 1966.
Despite failing to emulate Musami, the miners, Mapeza said, deserved credit for pushing Caps United all the way to the wire and the coach rightfully got applause from the travelling fans when he stepped up to receive the silver medal.
The players also couldn’t miss the opportunity to pop Champagne after the medal presentation ceremony, another demonstration that they were satisfied with their season.
“It’s always painful to lose at the death but we will wait for next season which will afford us the opportunity to fight for the title once again,” Mapeza said after the match.
“When I arrived here, my mandate was to grow the club. In 2014 we finished fourth, 2015 – third and now second, that’s positive in my view.
“We did well to reach the (Chibuku) Cup final and now in the league we are runners-up, I think that’s commendable consistency from the guys,” said Mapeza.
Having led the race for a large part of the season, a lot was expected from FC Platinum but the wheels started coming off the machine in the home run with a loss at Harare City in week 26 which they followed up with a disappointing share of spoils at home to Ngezi resulting in a section of fans calling for Mapeza’s head.
There were moments during their win over Tsholotsho yesterday when the miners thought they were on course for their first ever league crown with fans circulating wrong information that Chapungu had equalized against Caps United.
With his contract expiring at the end of the year, Mapeza said if given the opportunity to continue, he will come back next season with more energy to challenge for the title despite his near misses.
“I won’t tire. My energy comes from the passion I have for this game, I will continue challenging for honours if given the opportunity,” he said.
The miners controlled the match with Tsholotsho largely forced into defensive duties and it was no surprise when Chinyengetere finished off a move initiated by Walter Musona with a well taken shot from the edge of the box with 17 minutes on the clock.
Mudehwe then doubled the lead a minute before the half hour mark with a clever chip over a badly exposed Mariyoni Chang in goals for the hosts before midfielder Takwara killed the match as a contest on the 82nd minute.
Teams
Tsholotsho: C Mariyoni, N Siwela, X Ndlovu, T Nyabinde, G Magariro, Z Moyo, O Ncube (D Chirwa 58th), B Madanhire (M Gama 77th), R Mufudza (C Dhuwa 79th), M Ponyera, M Phiri
FC Platinum: P Mhari, I Nekati, G Bello, K Moyo, E Moyo, W Mhango (N Masuku 92nd), R Chinyengetere, G Takwara, W Musona (I Wadi 89th), C Sibanda, M Mudehwe
