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Mehluli Sibanda, Sports Editor

IN Africa, when something big happens, it usually rains, no matter the season.
When FC Platinum were crowned champions of Zimbabwean football for the fourth consecutive season in front of their home fans at Mandava Stadium, the heavens opened up, perhaps to underline Pure Platinum Play’s dominance in the Zimbabwean topflight league.

The platinum miners sealed their impressive season with an easy 3-0 victory over Cranborne Bullets, a result which did not matter much on that day as they were already confirmed as the 2021/22 champions prior to that encounter.

FC Platinum

Goals by Walter Musona in the 13th minute, a 37th minute tap-in by Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya after being set through by Panashe Mutimbanyoka who went on to cap the day with a 56th minute beauty as he rounded the Cranborne Bullets keeper, marked a perfect end for FC Platinum.

When the referee blew to end the match, FC Platinum sparked into celebrations, having achieved the fourth title as they join Highlanders and Dynamos the only sides to have achieved the four consecutive Championships feat in modern PSL.

Norman Mapeza, the FC Platinum coach described the just ended season’s achievement as exceptional in the sense that they won it while on a rebuilding exercise. FC Platinum lost a number of experienced players last year and this year, which saw Mapeza build his team around young players.

“This was a special one because we did it with a relatively young squad. Most of these boys were playing for the first time in the Premiership. Also, we were on a rebuilding exercise.

“In 2018 we had a fantastic squad, a squad that had been together for two to three seasons and they had gelled, but this one, they were playing together for the first time,” Mapeza said on the crowning day.

Just to show how special this group of players was, FC Platinum cantered to their fourth championship in a row with a 21-game unbeaten run, their last defeat in the league having come in April when they were beaten 1-0 by Herentals.

They also suffered just one defeat at home to Ngezi Platinum Stars, playing to two draws at their Mandava fortress against Dynamos and Black Rhinos as they won 14 out-of the 17 home games.

It was a slow start for Mapeza and his team as the likes of Manica Diamonds, Chicken Inn as well as Dynamos appeared to be favourites but once Pure Platinum got into the groove, there was no stopping them. -@Mdawini_29