FC Platinum hammered

Sport
FC PLATINUM received a rude awakening as they were bludgeoned into submission by Tanzanian giants Young Africans in the first leg, first round of the Caf Confederation Cup at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium yesterday.

Young Africans . . . . (2) 5 FC Platinum . . . . . . .(1) 1

MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE in DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

FC PLATINUM received a rude awakening as they were bludgeoned into submission by Tanzanian giants Young Africans in the first leg, first round of the Caf Confederation Cup at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium yesterday.

Walter Musona’s consolation goal was outweighed by five strikes from Salum Abdul Tekela, Haruna Niyonzima, Amissi Tambwe and a brace from Mrisho Ngasa.

The Young Africans challenge was always going to be herculean task for coach Norman Mapeza’s youthful side whose cause was not helped by the fact that their hero in the last round against Kenya’s Sofapaka, Wisdom Mutasa, had to battle with flue during the match.

Everything just did not work well for the platinum miners save for a solitary away goal, which Mapeza will now hope to build on to get four goals in the return leg in a fortnight at Mandava.

“We never played good football today (yesterday). If you look at the first two goals it was just lack of concentration. We lost to a better team; they played well and exploited our weakness.

“I have played football before and it is very difficult to overturn that result 5-1 is too much,” Mapeza said.

Young Africans head coach Netherlands-born Hans Deh Pluijm was grateful that his charges did come to the party.

“We played well and I am happy with the result. The opponent was opening up and we capitalised on that.

“In Zimbabwe we will play our normal game; we will attack, if you defend you are bound to make mistakes and we won’t do that. The best way to defend is to attack,” Pluijm said.

The visitors started the match with a lot of confidence and Thabani Kamusoko had his shot blocked by the defence inside the opening two minutes.

Yanga quickly settled into the match and started to cause all sorts of problems for Pure Platinum dominating the midfield.

In the 18th minute Hakeem Msuva sliced past the defence, but could not keep his balance and slipped with only goalkeeper Petros Mhari to beat.

Four minutes later Niyonzima found space outside the box after some brilliant interplay, but curled his effort wide.

After half an hour of action, Yanga’s persistent attack paid dividends when Tekela lobbed over Mhari who was off his line, for the opener.

Niyonzima added the second of the match three minutes before halftime. Moments before the break Musona brought the game alight when he pulled one back with a beautifully taken free-kick.

The Dutch mentor’s halftime pep talk seemed to have done wonders with Tambwe scoring the third goal a few seconds after the restart.

Eight minutes later Ngasa slotted the fourth past an exposed Mhari before Ngasa completed his brace when he scored the fifth on the stroke of full-time.

Teams Young Africans: A Mtinge, J Niyonzima, J Mnyamani, O Fabuel, M Twite, K Yondani, S Ali, S Telela (H Dilunga), A Tambwe, M Ngasa, S Msuva (S Kipah 75)

FC Platinum: P Mhari, K Moyo, E Moyo, G Bello, R Mudhuviwa (A Katebe 63), T Kamusoko, W Kamudyariwa (S Shoko 46), W Mutasa, B Muzondiwa, O Chirwa (E Mandiranga 46), W Musona