Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer has brought forward the Highlanders and FC Platinum’s season ending fixture from Saturday to tomorrow, to afford the latter time to prepare for their Caf Champions League preliminary game.

FC Platinum are set to leave the country for Madagascar on Saturday, the day on which the curtain comes down on the domestic league.

The platinum miners will face CNaps Sport of Madagascar in the first-leg of the preliminary round next week on Wednesday, before playing the reverse fixture a week later in Zvishavane.

“We made a request to the league to have our last game against Highlanders brought forward because of our continental club competition commitment. Because of connecting flights, we have to leave on Saturday, put up in Johannesburg then connect to Madagascar on Sunday morning. Our match is on Wednesday, November 28 and we will return on the following day to begin preparations for the second-leg set for December 5,” said Chido Chizondo, FC Platinum’s spokesperson.

It’s a tight schedule for the champions, who will also participate in a Super Cup match against Chibuku Super Cup winners, Triangle United.

Should FC Platinum go past the preliminary round, they will face the winner of the clash between Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto of Angola and Congo’s AS Otoho in the first round on December 14.

However, despite being faced with a tight schedule before the end of the year, FC Platinum will use the Highlanders match as a final preparatory game before leaving for Madagascar.

It’s a potentially explosive encounter with both teams hoping to end their domestic campaigns on a high.
For Highlanders, avoiding back-to-back defeats to the champions will drive them, while FC Platinum have a goal of reaching the 80-point mark.

FC Platinum took their points’ tally to 77 at the weekend with a 1-0 home win over league runners-up Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Highlanders survived a scare and overturned a 2-0 first half score line to win the derby against Bulawayo Chiefs 3-2 and moved a place up the ladder into fifth position.

To end the season in fifth, Highlanders need victory tomorrow.

Should Bosso draw with FC Platinum, they will pray that Shabanie Mine don’t lose by more than five goals against sixth-placed Herentals.

Bosso coach, Madinda Ndlovu, spoke about the importance of avoiding back-to-back defeats and was happy to see his charges turning the tables against Chiefs.

The only teams that managed to beat Highlanders home and away this season are ZPC Kariba and Ngezi Platinum Stars.

In as much as he would love to reach the 80-point mark, FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza will be more concerned about the energy levels of his players and will hope they don’t pick up injuries before flying out to Madagascar.

Matchday 34 Fixtures

Tomorrow: Highlanders v FC Platinum (Barbourfields)

Saturday November 24:

-Yadah v Harare City (Rufaro)

-ZPC Kariba v Bulawayo Chiefs (Nyamhunga)

-Ngezi Platinum Stars v Black Rhinos (Baobab)

-Chicken Inn v Triangle United (Luveve)

-Nichrut v Dynamos (Ascot)

-Caps United v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium)

-Mutare City Rovers v Bulawayo City (Vengere)

-Shabanie Mine v Herentals (Maglas)

PSL Matchday 33 Results

Saturday:

-FC Platinum 1-0 Ngezi Platinum Stars

-Herentals 0-0 Chicken Inn

-Bulawayo City 4-1 Caps United

-Harare City 0-0 ZPC Kariba

Sunday:

-Bulawayo Chiefs 2-3 Highlanders

-Dynamos 2-2 Mutare City

-Triangle United 4-2 Nichrut

-Black Rhinos 1-0 Shabanie Mine

-Chapungu 0-0 Yadah

                                            Table

                           P W D L F A GD Pts
FC Platinum 33 24 5 4 52 14 38 77
Ngezi Platinum 33 20 5 8 50 23 27 65
Chicken Inn 33 15 11 7 41 25 16 56
Triangle United 33 17 4 12 42 32 10 55
Highlanders 33 14 8 11 34 29 5 50
Herentials 33 12 12 9 24 24 0 48
Caps United 33 12 11 10 34 30 4 47
Harare City 33 10 17 6 27 25 2 47
Black Rhinos 33 11 13 9 37 30 7 46
**ZPC Kariba 33 12 12 9 28 26 2 45
Dynamos 33 10 12 11 28 34 -6 42
Yadah FC 33 9 13 11 32 39 -7 40
Bulawayo Chiefs 33 9 11 13 29 35 -6 38
Chapungu 33 9 11 13 27 34 -7 38
Nichrut 33 8 9 16 30 40 -10 33
Bulawayo City 33 8 5 20 31 43 -12 29
Mutare City 33 5 8 20 24 52 -28 23
Shabanie Mine 33 3 14 16 24 57 -32 19
**Three points deducted for use of a suspended player.

— @ZililoR.