Reigning Premier Soccer League champions FC Platinum (FCP) are chasing after a league and cup double this season as they face Herentals in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Pure Platinum Play have won the last three league titles and are top of the table having opened an 11-point gap from Dynamos who are in second place with only four games left.
FCP hosts Herentals at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane while in the other Chibuku Super Cup semi-final, Black Rhinos take on Bulawayo Chiefs.
The Norman Mapeza-coached side beat Herentals 1-0 in a PSL meeting last weekend and will be hoping to overcome the Students to book a spot in the final.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the semi-final match, Mapeza said he is anticipating tougher resistance from Herentals. He said:
Everyone is focused and ready for this match. Everyone knows we are going to play Herentals again this Sunday after our game last weekend.
This is a new ball game altogether. We have different objectives. It’s not going to be easy, but we are keeping the same mentality.
It’s a cup game, and everyone knows what they have to do, so the mentality must change. I like how we won last weekend, there was a mentality of not giving up.
We have to play like this, with a never give up mentality. We have to push because the game is 90 minutes.
There is no need to be cautious. We have to play at our best. It’s going to be an open game because everyone will aim to win.
This is not a league game, where you might want to salvage a draw. Here we are playing to win. In the league, if you draw it’s okay and a win is a bonus, but this one we go full throttle to win.
I don’t know if it’s going to be difficult because playing against the same team twice in succession is happening in the Champions League.
It’s the situation we have at the moment, but at the end of the day, we have to play Herentals again on Sunday.
Herentals coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva pledged to attack from the onset. He said:
We have to keep the attacking plan. We must win. It’s important for us to be in the finals. We fought hard to be at this stage and we must fight again on Sunday then also avoid silly mistakes like that one which cost us the last match.
It’s a different game with potentially different outcomes. Everyone wants to win but how we play on the day will be important in determining the outcome.
| NewsDay