Zimpapers Logo

Mukudzei Chingwere, Harare Bureau
ANGOLAN side, Clube Desportivo Primero Agosto, still have a lot of respect for Zimbabwean champions, FC Platinum, and are not yet celebrating qualification for the Caf Champions League first round.

The two teams meet in a preliminary round, second leg tie at Mandava tomorrow.

FC Platinum are trailing the Angolans 0-3 but Norman Mapeza’s men have refused to throw in the towel ahead of the make-or-break showdown.

Primero Agosto conceded at last night’s pre-match news conference that they still have a lot to do against what they called “a very good but unlucky side.”

For their part, FC Platinum who were represented by assistant coach, Patrick Mandizha, said they are now better prepared for their opponents than in the first leg.

“When we went to Angola we did not know much about the opponent, they had a new coach which means new tactics and a lot of things had changed.

“But this time around we are confident that we are better prepared for the game, (and) the guys are raring to go.

“In Angola we made many mistakes but this time we are looking for a positive result at home,” said Mandizha.

Primero Agosto assistant coach, Ivo Traca, said the Zimbabwean champions were a very good side who were just unfortunate to leave Luanda empty-handed.

“We have an advantage coming into this match but the mission is not yet finished.

“We are playing against a team that knows how to play the ball, with fast transitions and how to keep possession.

“They could have scored one or two goals in Angola but they were not lucky enough.

“We are coming here to balance our attack and defence, we will attack and defend when need be, we will play as a team,” said Traca.

The Angolans will have a feel of the match venue this afternoon at 3pm.

Meanwhile, FC Platinum have lost their bid to have their Champions League opponents Clube Desportivo Primero de Agosto sanctioned by the Confederation of Africa Football and will now have to bank on overturning their huge deficit against the Angolans at Mandava tomorrow.

FC Platinum fell 0-3 in the preliminary round, first leg tie in Luanda but not before the domestic Premiership champions had, through head of delegation Naboth Magwizi, protested a decision by their hosts not to produce their players’ passports during a teams’ check.

Magwizi lodged his protest through match commissioner Mangaliso Jabulani Langwenya, of Swaziland, who noted the FC Platinum objection but allowed the match to go on under protest.

But Caf ruled that Clube Desportivo Primero de Agosto had not violated any of their inter-club competition rules when they did not produce player passports at the match venue in Luanda.

Caf, in communication sent to both Zifa and FC Platinum, by the continental body’s manager for national teams and inter-club competitions Mohamed El Shawarby, noted that clubs were not compelled to bring copies of player passports on match day.

But away from boardroom attempts to have Agosto’s first leg win reviewed, FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza has cast a defiant note and yesterday he insisted his team has the capacity to overhaul that loss tomorrow.

Mapeza said although he was aware of the tough task awaiting his champions, he believed it was not insurmountable with the former Warriors coach arguing that the first leg result was not a true reflection of the kind of shift that his charges had put on in Luanda.