LOG leaders Harare City’s title credentials face another rigorous and strenuous examination tomorrow when they host challengers FC Platinum in a Castle Lager Premiership football tie.
Report by Tawanda Tafirenyika
The Sunshine City Boys have emerged the surprise package in the campaign with an incredible 34 points — three ahead of closest pursuers Dynamos, Highlanders and Chicken Inn.
But Bigboy Mawiwi is aware of the need for his charges to maintain the momentum if they entertain hopes of landing the premiership crown.
And when you face a team like FC Platinum who also have eyes on the championship with 29 points, it’s the best platform to make a clear statement of intent because this provides a real test to measure readiness in this championship race.
Harare City go into the match with their confidence high after coming out with flying colours in a close battle with Monomotapa which ended in a 1-0 win for Mawiwi’s men.
But FC Platinum are not an easy nut to crack. Mawiwi and his boys still have sad memories of their meeting with the Zvishavane-based side last season in which his side was pummeled into submission in a 4-1 rout.
Although Harare City went on to avenge the defeat with a slender 1-0 win in the reverse fixture, their meetings have remained very close.
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This season, the two sides have already met, with Mawiwi managing to come out from Mandava Stadium with a point following a 1-1 stalemate. Tomorrow’s fixture is expected to be another close contest from which a win for Mawiwi will all but set his team on the path to the championship.
Mawiwi, however, continues to play down his team’s chances insisting it’s still work in progress.
“We still have a lot of work to do and we have been trying to work on some of our weaknesses this week. We held them to a draw in Mandava, but this is a different fixture and we have to be focused. FC Platinum are a very good side and we need to watch out,” Mawiwi said.
In other interesting fixtures, champions Dynamos make the trip to Kadoma for a date against Black Rhinos hoping to keep pressure on the log leaders as any slip-up by City would see Dynamos dislodging them from the top.
Dynamos managed a 1-0 win over Buffaloes in their previous match. Caps United also have a tricky fixture against Monomotapa at the National Sports Stadium. After managing a 1-1 draw against Hwange at the Colliery, a lot is expected from the Green Machine, who have a good chance of winning the league title since 2005
Fixtures Tomorrow: How Mine v Shabanie Mine (Luveve), Black Mambas v Chicken Inn (Morris Depot), Harare City v FC Platinum (Rufaro), Motor Action v Tripple B (Motor Action) Sunday: Buffaloes v Triangle (Sakubva), Black Rhinos v Dynamos (Rimuka), Highlanders v Hwange (Barbourfields), Caps United v Monomotapa (NSS)
