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Tadious Manyepo in ZVISHAVANE

FC Platinum…………………..(3) 4

Whawha…………………………..0

IN a way, the real scoreboard should read FC Platinum 10, Whawha 0.

For, that’s the aggregate scoreline from the two matches, which these two sides played against each other, in their Chibuku Super Cup group.

Norman Mapeza’s men won the first encounter 6-0.

And, yesterday, they had already scored half the number of those goals, in the first half of their latest meeting.

This means it’s now down to a two-horse race to determine who tops Group 4.

FC Platinum joined their bitter rivals, Ngezi Platinum, in the quarter-finals, with their comprehensive victory over Whawha, at Mandava, yesterday.

Donald Teguru scored twice while Gift Mbweti, and teenager Thandalwenkosi Ngwenya, were also on target as Mapeza’s found their shooting boots, on home soil.

They struggled to score, in 180 minutes, in their CAF Champions League preliminary round match, as they crashed out at the first hurdle.

But, on the domestic landscape, FC Platinum are a different beast.

With Ngezi having secured their place, in the last eight earlier on, despite a 2-2 draw against Triangle at the same venue, the league champions were ruthless, in their destruction of Whawha.

Just a point now separate the two rivals, with Rodwell Dhlakama’s Ngezi Platinum topping the group, on 10 points.

Triangle and Whahwa are now out of contention, for the two tickets into the last eight, as neither side can overhaul the tally already set by the leading two sides.

It could come to the final match of the group, between FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum, to decide who tops the group.

Mapeza’s side showed the huge gulf between them and Whawha, without even soaring to the levels they can touch, on the best of their days.

The Warriors interim coach benched some of his key men, including Silas Songani.

But, the Zvishavane team still had too much firepower for the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services team.

Whawha were expected to offer tougher resistance, this time around but, like in that first game, they were just casual, one could even mistake them, for a secondary school team.

They failed to execute even the very basics of the game, including controlling the ball.

FC Platinum were all over their opponents and should have scored even more, had they been precise in front of goal.

“I am happy with the display from my boys and the qualification,’’ said Mapeza.

“I am demanding the same mentality going forward. I am always demanding 100 percent from the boys, whether it’s a friendly or whatever.

“This is the biggest tournament in the country and we are taking it seriously.

“I am happy with the way we played although I feel we should have scored more. Our goalkeeper was rarely tested and that shows you how much we dominated the game.

“We need the same mentality, as we progress, throughout the tournament.”

Whawha coach, Luke Jukulile, said they were punished for their shortcomings at the back.

“We conceded soft goals, as a result of indecision, at the back,” said Jukulile.

“We started well but we then let in very soft goals. 

“It’s disappointing but we have picked some positives.

“We will try and improve in our next matches although we know we are now out of this tournament.”

Teams

FC Platinum

W. Magalane, G.Mbweti (O. Bhebhe 80th min) D. Dzvinyai, K. Madzongwe, K. Mangiza (R.Kutsanzira 75th min), B.Banda, B.Moyo (R.Pavari 84th min) R.Chinyengetere (I.Mucheneka 84th min), P.Mutimbanyoka, D.Teguru, T.Ngwenya (S.Songani 46th min)

Whawha

T.Chiku, T.Giya (R. Useni 59th min) N.Gurende, J.Gadzani, A. Matope, R. Matutu, T.Manhopi (R.Horonga 59th min), X.Ncube (T.Tozivepi 82nd min), E.Muzanenhamo, J.Barake  (E. Mawanda 46th min) D.Madzinga,