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Cephas George Msipa

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FC Platinum and Shabanie Mine will face off in the third edition of the late Cephas George Msipa Scholarship Trust Charity soccer tournament at Maglas Stadium on Saturday.

The competition is aimed at raising funds for the CG Msipa Scholarship Trust.

FC Platinum are the holders, having won the first edition in 2013 and the last tournament held in 2014.The tournament returns after a two-year absence and FC Platinum Holdings, the business side of the football club, is sponsoring this year’s edition to the tune of $20 000.

Winners of the charity match will get $15 000 and the losers $5 000.

“The CG Msipa soccer tournament is back and all the gate takings will go towards the scholarship trust. Baba vaMsipa made a considerable contribution in education and we would like to continue his legacy through this memorial match,” read a statement from FC Platinum spokesperson Chido Chizondo.

Derbies involving the two Zvishavane sides have always been tense thrillers and nothing should change when they meet on Saturday.

Shabanie coach Taku Shariwa told Chronicle Sport yesterday that the game against FC Platinum will be their first pre-season game. He said they were in their fourth week of pre-season training, with this week being their second of intensive training.

“We spent the first two weeks conducting trials and we’re happy with how we’re progressing. I think we’re lagging behind in terms of fitness, tactics and combinations, but that is not an excuse going into the CG Msipa Charity match as we intend to do our best.

“We will use the match to see how our combinations are coming up and hopefully it will be a good footballing weekend for the community as we celebrate the life of an icon (Msipa) through sport,” Shariwa said.

The former Mutare City Rovers coach, who joined the Zvishavane side last month, said he has a youthful side driven by the desire to succeed.

Shariwa said notable players with Premiership and First Division experience in his side are ex-Monomotapa and Mutare City defender Brian Mapfumo, who has been brought in to help stabilise the defence, attackers Tapiwa Maduma, formerly with Herrentials, and Wellington Taderera, who had a stint with Kwekwe Sables.

FC Platinum’s pre-season preparations have been smooth sailing and the platinum miners are close to finalising their squad, having retained the bulk of their 2016 squad.

They have beefed up their squad with the addition of Bret Amidu, Gift Mbweti, Talent Chawapiwa and Agrippa Murimba. They retained the experience of goalkeeper Petros Mhari, the Moyo twins Kevin and Elvis, midfielders Winston Mhango and Marshal Mudewe, as well as striker Charles Sibanda.

Mudewe, double scorer in the final of the 2014 edition of the CG Msipa Scholarship Trust Charity match when FC Platinum beat Chapungu 2-0, will be hoping to be on the score sheet on Saturday.

@ZililoR