FC PLATINUM coach Norman Mapeza says Harare City have one of the best coaches in Zimbabwe at the moment and pose a real threat in their bid to bounce back on track after a sluggish like start to their 2015 Castle Lager Premiership football campaign.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The two sides square off in a rescheduled league game at Rufaro this afternoon. The Sunshine City Boys are managed by Taurai Mangwiro who joined from Caps United towards the end of last term. On that technical bench he sits with assistants Mike Madzivanyika, Mkhuphali Masuku and goalkeepers’ coach Richard Tswatswa.
While Mangwiro is highly regarded as a coach, his new club — Harare City — has struggled for fluency against the platinum miners. They have met six times in the league since 2012 with FC Platinum winning three of those encounters and drawing one while the Harare club has won just two.
They were also defeated 3-1 on penalties in the Chibuku Super Cup final last term after the match had ended in a 1-1 stalemate in regulation.
FC Platinum defeated Harare City 2-0 last October in the league in Harare following that up with a 2-1 victory at Mandava Stadium. They had previously settled for a 1-1 draw at Mandava Stadium in June 2013. Harare City managed, however, to overcome their opponents 2-0 in Harare in July the same year and also won 1-0 in September at Mandava. But in May 2012, Harare City had suffered one of their worst defeats in the league — a 4-1 rout in their own backyard.
However, Mapeza refuses to read into history. “Harare City have one of the best coaches in Zimbabwe at the moment and have been playing very well. We can’t look into history because so many things have changed at Harare City while we have had mixed results in the games we have played so far and we are just going there hoping for a good result. It will not be easy, but we are going there looking for a positive result,” says Mapeza.
Harare City, though, have managed just five points from a possible 12 with one win, two draws and one defeat recorded in their first four matches of the campaign.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
FC Platinum have recorded one win against Flame Lily (3-0), one draw against Dongo Sawmill (2-2) and two defeats against Caps United (1-0) and Chicken Inn (3-1).
Thus both sides will be looking to get their campaigns back on track. Harare City team manager Pardon Chivasa acknowledges the task at hand.
“FC Platinum are a very good team and well organised. They have given us problems before and we need an improved performance against them this time around.
“They defeated us twice in the league last season and also beat us in the Chibuku Super Cup final. Although that defeat in the Chibuku Super Cup was controversial, we don’t have any grudges so this will not be a grudge match, but a massive league game. So many things have changed now and I hope tomorrow (today) we will start to win against FC Platinum,” said Chivasa.
