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Grace Chingoma-Senior Sports Reporter

FC Platinum will have to find a way to beat Herentals in both the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and the Chibuku Super Cup if they are to land both accolades this season.

The Zvishavane-based club are well on course to claiming a fourth straight league title as they lead the standings with 10 points with only five games before the season ends. 

In fact, they are only six points away from winning the league title. They are also on their way to winning a second straight Chibuku Super Cup trophy with the biggest knock-out tournament entering the semi-final stages next week. 

But Herentals stand in their way as they could significantly delay or even deny them a double this season. The Students face FC Platinum in the league this coming Saturday at Mandava with a victory meaning the Kumbirai Mutuwekuziva-coached charges will leave the hosts in panic mode. 

A week later, FC Platinum will also face the same opponents in the Chibuku Super Cup’s last four. The league is yet to release the venues for the semi-finals. 

Herentals coach Mutiwekuziva says the two consecutive games against FC Platinum will not be easy for his troops. However, he is glad that his players’ confidence and self-belief are at their highest at the moment due to how they have fared so far this season. 

“It is not going to be easy going to Mandava. Yes, we beat them at home in the first round, which gives us confidence going into this match. We would want to dominate them this season but it is not an easy match at all. They are almost there in terms of winning the league title, but beating them would give us a good confidence booster ahead of the Cup game,” said Mutiwekuziva.

“Winning the league match would be a good motivator ahead of our Chibuku Super Cup encounter next week, so we need to be the team with that advantage. 

“It is quite difficult to play a team twice in a row. As a coach you need to apply different strategies in football, analyse well the first game and work on your strengths as a team. So the two games are tricky for both of us and the team and technical team that strategies well on the day and prepare well will win,” he said. 

Mutiwekuziva says it is his team’s dream to win the Chibuku Super Cup and would be a major achievement for the modest club that was promoted into the top-flight league in 2018. “It is our dream to win the Chibuku Super Cup and would want to win it. It would be a major achievement to win the Chibuku Super Cup. It will be a big achievement for the club. The player’s confidence is quite high and it is pleasing to note at training the team spirit. 

“They have tremendously improved and are confident facing any team. You can hear them encouraging each other during training sessions. So I am quite happy and would love that effort to be rewarded,” said Mutiwekuziva. 

Herentals are enjoying their best season this term since their promotion into the Premier Soccer League in 2018. 

This is the first time they are in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals. 

After their first two seasons in the top-flight without adding experienced playing personnel, they broke with that tradition and brought on board John Zhuwawo, Godfrey Mukambi, Davison Marowa and Ali Maliselo, among others.