The Sunday Mail
A journey that started nine years ago with the agony of losing the title race on the last day has finally yielded three straight league titles.
FC Platinum, a team from Zvishavane which gained promotion into the Premier Soccer League in 2011, completed a hat- trick of league titles when they beat CAPS United 1-0 on the last day of the 2019 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League last weekend.
Pure Platinum Play have now won three league titles in a row, a feat only achieved by Dynamos and Highlanders.
They are also the only team from outside Harare and Bulawayo to win the league title. They won their first two league titles under Norman Mapeza before Lizwe Sweswe delivered the third after replacing Mapeza midway through the 2019 season.
The first team to win three or more league titles in a row was Dynamos who achieved the feat between 1980 and 1983.
DeMbare replicated that from 2011 to 2014 under Kalisto Pasuwa.
Highlanders won four straight league titles between 1999 and 2002.
FC Platinum chairman Evans Mtombeni, a football enthusiast who could have also played the game had he not chosen academics, believes four titles in a row are a possibility.
“Obviously, we will start the 2020 season as the defending champions and we would want to win it again.
“That’s our drive, we are motivated to continue doing better and better,” he said.
From a team that was established in 1995 and only gained promotion into top flight football nine years ago, FC Platinum’s achievements have gripped the nation.
“The team was called Mimosa when it played in Division One, the name was changed to FC Platinum after gaining promotion.
“It has been an eventful journey,” said Mtombeni.
Following their success on the domestic scene, FC Platinum are now rubbing shoulders with some of Africa’s biggest clubs like Al Ahly, Esperance and Al Hilal.
“No one thought this would happen back then when the team used to play in Division One. I would like to salute FC Platinum’s leadership for establishing a football giant.
“We are a small town here in Zvishavane, some refer to us as rural people but thanks to FC Platinum, Zvishavane is now known internationally.
“FC Platinum have been flying the Zimbabwean flag in Africa for the past three years and they have also managed to reach the mini league phase of the CAF Champions League,” a local supporter, Kenny Misi, said.
“You can’t really say FC Platinum are now in the same league with the likes of Dynamos and Highlanders but slowly they are getting there. Three league titles in just nine seasons is a big achievement,” he added.
The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League trophy has stayed in Zvishavane for the past three years and there is every reason for FC Platinum’s supporters to believe that they are witnessing the making of a real football giant.
“Something big is brewing here in Zvishavane. We are witnessing the birth of a true Zimbabwean football giant,” said Misi.
