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Johnson Bagole

Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
Sofapaka of Kenya are expected to arrive in Zimbabwe tomorrow for their Caf Confederation Cup second leg, preliminary round match against FC Platinum on Saturday.

This was confirmed by Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela yesterday.

“The Kenyan team arrives in the country on Thursday. We expect them to land at 3PM and then they will fly to Bulawayo where we expect them to connect by road to Zvishavane,” said Gwesela.

Zvishavane has good accommodation facilities used in the past by Swaziland’s Green Mambas and El Merreikh of Sudan.

FC Platinum are favourites to proceed to the next round. They could clash with either Young Africans of Tanzania or Botswana’s Defence Forces in the next round and carry a seemingly healthy 2-1 lead. The two away goals they scored two weeks ago at Nyayo Stadium in Kenya have left the visitors with a tall order.

But football being the game it is has so much intrigue that the hosts still have to fight for 90 minutes at Mandava Stadium.

Young Africans were 2-0 winners in the first leg in Tanzania and travel to Botswana for the return leg this week.

Sofapaka are a very organised outfit with a good central defence and tend to favour wing play with Fiston Abdoul on the left and Johnson Bagole right, frustrate opponents with their pace and good dribbling.

Centre forward Enock Agwanda has good ball control and game reading skills. He also has height, pace and positions himself well in the box.

A selection poser could haunt the home team as coach Norman Mapeza has to consider Daniel Vheremu, Aaron Katebe, Nelson Maziwisa and Obrey Chirwa who were not part of the side that played in Kenya. They have experience needed at this level and competition for places at the club this week is said to be fierce.

In Kenya, Mapeza showed nerves of steel when he fielded young players Kelvin and Elvis Moyo in defence, Wisdom Mutasa and Walter Musona both of whom created the two goals scored by Donald Ngoma and Brian Muzondiwa.

There was also Tatenda Dzumbunu in midfield but so much will depend on the form of captain Thabani Kamusoko. He did not have the best of games but still his influence in the side was felt in the later stages of the game when experience and maturity to weather the storm was needed. He rose to support Gift Bello, another slow starter who had many timely interventions as the marauding Kenyans went all out for an equaliser towards the end of the game.

Right back Raphael Muduviwa had a good game showing a lot of industry when ever he ventured forward.

Gwesela confirmed that the match officials would come from Botswana, the match commissioner from Mozambique.

He said gate charges would probably be announced today after consultations between the national association and the Chibuku Super Cup winners FC Platinum.