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Grace Chingoma

Senior Sports Reporter

STRUGGLING champions FC Platinum will be looking to rediscover their best form when they face bogey side ZPC Kariba in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at Mandava tomorrow. 

The four-time champions have been struggling to collect maximum points of late. In fact, they have not won in their last five outings which culminated in the 2-0 defeat to Ngezi Platinum Stars in their last match.

Tomorrow they welcome a ZPC Kariba side that has shown signs of revival under the guidance of new coach Newsome Mutema.

And Mapeza conceded during a media briefing that ZPC Kariba have been a thorn in the flesh in the past seasons.

“It is not going to be easy,” he said.

“If you look at our history with ZPC Kariba, they always give us problems. Ever since I have been here, I have lost maybe twice to ZPC Kariba. They always give us problems here,” said Mapeza.

But the coach is optimistic that his charges would be able to pick themselves up.

“But we know exactly where we are coming from and we know exactly the importance of this game on Saturday. What is very important for us is to go out there with the same attitude and same desire which I have seen in training during the past few days and see what happens.

“There is a new coach and usually when a new coach comes in players tend to give it all. So they want to prove a point,” he said.

Despite going on a five-match winless streak, the Pure Platinum Boys have kept a positive attitude.

Most importantly at the back of their minds is the fact that the champions last year went through the same ordeal but quickly managed to bounce back.

“I am happy with the attitude with commitment and the desire which the guys are showing in training. I have said before that we are in a very difficult phase, a painful one, but this does happen in football and I do believe that it will come to pass.

“If you look at our situation last season, after nine games, I think we were at the same position as where we are today on the log standings. So it is just a matter of time.

“We need to stay focused, we don’t have to lose any focus, especially at this point. Usually, as the coach, I get affected, and the players also get affected but it is about mental strength. We have spoken about it, that it is just a phase and it will come to pass. Definitely, it will come to pass,” said Mapeza.

In their last three matches, FC Platinum have fired blanks. They were found wanting in a 2-0 defeat against Takesure Chiragwi’s Ngezi Platinum, as well as in the 1-0 loss to Herentals.

The matches were sandwiched by a 2-2 draw against Manica Diamonds.

However, Mapeza was encouraged by how his players have managed to get goals in seven of the nine games they have played.

“We have played nine matches. Out of the nine games, it’s only against Herentals and Ngezi where we couldn’t score. But in some of the games when we lost against Highlanders, we managed to score and in the other games we have been creating opportunities, even half chances. So what is important is to bury those chances,” said Mapeza.

Fixtures

Today: Yadah v Herentals (National Sports Stadium).

Tomorrow: Green Fuel v Black Rhinos (Gibbo), FC Platinum v ZPC Kariba (Mandava), Chicken Inn v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Luveve), Cranborne Bullets v Highlanders (National Sports Stadium).

Sunday: Dynamos v Manica Diamonds (National Sports Stadium), Sheasham v CAPS United (Mandava), Hwange v Triangle (Colliery).

Monday: 22 May: Simba Bhora v Bulawayo Chiefs (National Sports Stadium).

Thursday: Highlanders v Dynamos (Barbourfields), Herentals College v Hwange (National Sports Stadium).