FCP need to win remaining games
FC PLATINUM need to win their remaining three games if they still entertain hopes of making it to the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League.
The Zimbabwe champions suffered their second successive Group B defeat when they went down 0-1 to Horoya AC of Guinea at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.
The loss to Horoya followed their 2-0 away defeat to reigning continental champions Esperance of Tunisia.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza made four changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Esperance, bringing in the offensive trio of striker Charles Sibanda, attacking midfielder Rahman Kutsanzira, overlapping right-back Raphael Muduviwa and central defender Kevin Moyo.
Gift Mbweti was also in the starting line-up in a clear indication that they wanted to attack, but their mission failed.
Lack of potency in front of goal has been FC Platinum’s downfall in their maiden Caf Champions League group stage appearance, as they are yet to score in three games.
Their defence and midfield look compatible, but they need to work on their final third and learn to convert the few chances they create.
What has become clear is that the departure of Rodwell Chinyengetere left a void they have not filled.
With just a point from the 0-0 home draw against Orlando Pirates of South Africa, FC Platinum are four points behind the Bucs, who are tied on five points with Esperance.
The platinum miners’ next match is against Horoya in Guinea on February 12, which will be a mammoth assignment for the Zimbabwean champions, who played second fiddle to the West Africans for the better part of Saturday’s match.
Despite anchoring the table, FC Platinum are not throwing in the towel as yet.
“We were not our usual selves. We’ve been left with a big mountain to climb and we’ll have to work hard in our next games. We wanted a win, and now we have to keep working and see where we will be at the end of the group games,” FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza said.
With nothing to lose, FC Platinum are unlikely to be defensive in their remaining encounters.
Horoya coach Patrice Neveu said: “We are happy with the result we got; it was an important away victory for us. We are also satisfied with the quality of the play; our players played very well. It was quite a good game.” -@ZililoR