The Sunday Mail
CAPS UNITED president Farai Jere has done all he can to motivate his boys.
On Thursday afternoon the players’ bank accounts were credited with their October salaries and on Friday they were paid an outstanding half-month installment in cash.
Jere is already in talks with a potential sponsor for a possible CAF Champions League adventure, and has assured players that Makepekepe will “definitely” participate in Africa if they win the 2016 Castle Lager Premier League title.
The Green Machine leads the marathon with 57 points, two more than FC Platinum, with two rounds of fixtures still to be played.
But stubborn Chibuku Super Cup champions Ngezi Platinum Stars stand between Caps United and glory.
Unbeaten at the National Sports Stadium since Lloyd Chitembwe returned to the club in September 2015, Makepekepe will clinch the title at the arena today if they beat Ngezi, and FC Platinum fail to beat Highlanders at Mandava.
On the other hand, Norman Mapeza’s Pure Platinum Play can finish the day on top if they beat Bosso and Makepekepe lose.
Or FC Platinum and Caps United could end the day tied on 58 points if Mapeza gets it right at Mandava and Chitembwe is held in Harare.
Bosso are still in the mix too, even though they are four points behind log leaders Makepekepe. They can close that the gap to a single point if they beat FC Platinum and Caps United falter.
Bosso can cut the gap between them and Caps United to two points if they win and Makepekepe share the spoils with Tonderai Ndiraya’s Ngezi.
It is Super Sunday and the focal points are Mandava and the National Sports Stadium.
The FC Platinum-Highlanders blockbuster clash is live on SS9
Highlanders coach Erol Akbay has called it a tricky Sunday, the stage of the season Sir Alex Ferguson referred to as the “squeaky bum time” during his magnificent reign at Manchester United in England.
“All the top three teams have to win on Sunday (today) but unfortunately there has to be one winner between us and FC Platinum … that gives Caps United the advantage,” said Akbay.
Caps United are missing their captain Moses Muchenje, Highlanders are without the striking duo of Nhlanhla Ndlovu and Gabriel Nyoni, while Mapeza has a clean bill of health in Zvishavane.
A master at mind games, Makepekepe coach Chitembwe has been trying to ease pressure on his players by downplaying the significance of the Ngezi game.
“I do not think it is necessarily correct to dwell much on this game against Ngezi Platinum Stars because all the other games we have played before are equally important. The games that preceded this one contributed a lot to where we are today,” said Chitembwe.
Ngezi Platinum coach Ndiraya has declared that he is not going to Harare for a weekend outing.
“Two teams in top form are meeting. We recently won the Chibuku Cup and Caps United are on top of the PSL log. It will be an exciting match,” said Ndiraya. “We want to finish in the top eight and for us to achieve that we need to get points in the last two games.”
At Mandava, the odds are against FC Platinum, who have a single league win against Highlanders at home since 2011. The last time Pure Platinum Play won against Bosso at Mandava was on June 8, 2011 when they emerged 2-0 victors. Since then, Bosso have won twice and drawn the same number of games at Mandava.
Mapeza is unperturbed by the scary statistic.
“It is all part of this beautiful game. We have no injury worries and we are ready for the clash,” he said.
FC Platinum have lost once at Mandava this season, a 1-2 defeat against ZPC Kariba on June 11. It’s a
record that worries Bosso coach Akbay.
“Highlanders might have dominated this Mandava fixture but if you look at FC Platinum’s record at home this season it tells you something. We have to do all we can to beat them and hope that Caps United drop points in Harare,” he said.
The reverse fixture ended 2-1 in favour of FC Platinum at Barbourfields.
Fixtures (All macthes start at 3pm)
Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery), Chicken Inn v Border Strikers (Luveve), Triangle v Dynamos (Gibbo), FC Platinum v Highlanders (Mandava), Caps United v Ngezi Platinum Stars (NSS)
