CAPS UNITED. . . . . . . (0)2
FC PLATINUM . . . . . . (2)2
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza was delight after guiding the Zvishavane-based side to the 2022 league championship, their fourth on the trot, matching the record set by Dynamos between 2011 and 2014.
FC Platinum were guaranteed the going into the game yesterday after closest challengers Chicken Inn and Dynamos faltered on Saturday.
Chicken Inn were held to a draw by Herentals on Friday to take their points tally to 56, while Dynamos suffered a shock defeat to relegation candidates Bulawayo City on Saturday.
And playing like champions, the league’s pass masters dominated the first half against fallen giants Caps United at the National Sports Stadium and went up on the quarter hour after Walter Musona lobbed goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga.
Pure Platinum Play doubled their lead on 28 minutes, Thandewenkosi Ngwenya capitalising on a horrendous mistake by Mateyaunga, who in an attempt to dribble the forward, lost the ball and the striker he had the composure to tap the ball into the nets.
However, in the second half, Caps United Lloyd Chitembwe made a tactical substitution, hauling off Joel Ngodzo and throwing into the fray Joseph Tulani. The change paid dividends as Caps United regained control and Emmanuel Mandiranga saw a free kick crash against the cross bar on 49 minutes. Ian Nyoni, however, pulled one back on 62 minutes from a cross by Mandiranga after William Manondo had earlier missed a headed opportunity.
- Chicken Inn knockout Harare City
- FC Platinum reach Chibuku Cup last eight
- CAPS United dismiss player strike reports
- Inside sport: The right way to do it
Keep Reading
Musona could have added the third on 73 minutes for the visitors but saw his effort come off the cross bar. However, left back Lincoln Mangaira drew level five minutes from full time, beating goalkeeper Wallace Magalane with a low shot.
“It’s massive achievement. It was a lot of hard work. Maybe we could have been where we are today after two years. But here we are. For me I always go to bed at around 12. I plan. I want to know how our opponents play. I am always looking for information. But now I can go home and rest. It has been hard work from the executive, players and even supporters. We never worked with a target. The executive didn’t ‘say we want this’ so we worked without any pressure and this is one of the reasons we are here,” he said.
Chitembwe credited his charges for the way they responded in the second half.
“It gives us a good feeling. The first half was not as good as we had wanted. We were slow, we were not closing them down and our tracking wasn’t that good. And I thought Josta wasn’t giving us what we wanted defensively. He was slow but I don’t have problem with him offensively so we brought in Tulani and with his speed and agility, I thought he gave us what we needed,” he said.
Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe
