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Grace Chingoma Harare Bureau
CHIBUKU Super Cup holders FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza believes pressure will always be on them to defend their title and has adopted a game by game approach as they seek to retain the silverware. Mapeza revealed that he was happy to see his charges progress from the crucial first round after making light work of newboys Dongo Sawmill with a 2-0 victory at Mandava over the weekend.

The tournament whose winners will pocket $75,000, was not so friendly to the Premiership newcomers with all the four teams who won promotion at the start of the year, falling by the wayside.

A draw for the quarter-finals set for next month could be staged soon although the dates have not yet been announced.

Tsholotsho, Flame Lily and Whawha were the other debutants who found the going tough and were bundled out by their more seasoned opponents.

The debutants were not the only first round casualties with giants Caps United and Highlanders also being upset with the former crashing 4-1 on penalties to ZPC Kariba at Rufaro while Bosso were knocked out by city rivals How Mine following another penalty shootout lottery.

In fact three of the first round matches needed penalties to determine who advanced to the last eight.

But for Mapeza, the focus is now on their quarter-final as they seek to retain the cup which guarantees its winners a ticket to represent Zimbabwe in the CAF Confederation Cup.

“It was important for us to go to the quarter-finals but as FC Platinum we’re happy that we progressed.

“All the teams in the quarter-finals deserve to be there, so any club we’ll face we’ve to prepare against it and it’s very important to avoid a penalty lottery.

“We just need to know our opponents early so that we prepare adequately but the pressure will always be on us as the holders. The prize money itself is just motivating and as a team you’ll put more effort knowing that it’s only four matches and you can win that good prize money.

“I had said it before that there are going to be surprises but I don’t think anyone would’ve given ZPC Kariba a chance against Caps United,” Mapeza said.

FC Platinum won through to the next stage following a goal each by Brian Muzondiwa and Tarisai Rukanda.

Last year, FC Platinum, Caps United, Harare City, Highlanders, Triangle, How Mine and relegated sides Black Rhinos and Chiredzi progressed from the first round.

However, it was not the same script for Caps United and Highlanders this season as they were booted out in the first round while league pacesetters Chicken Inn, who last year fell by the wayside in the first round had a better outing this time.

After being bundled out in the first round last year by Black Rhinos, Dynamos needed to labour to their win over Whawha and team manager Richard Chihoro said they had now set their sights on going all the way to the final.

Chihoro conceded that it was a difficult match for them where they had to get a late goal from new striker Richard Kawondera in the 88th minute to secure victory.

“Cup games are different from the league, all the teams raise their bar and there are no longer small teams.

“In the second half of the season all the teams would be raring to go and that’s why you would see that most of the matches had to end with penalty shoot-outs after they had ended in draws.

“Last year we were booted out in the first round and we’re now looking forward to go all the way to the final.

“We’re looking at meeting any team in the draw after all we play these teams week in and week out,” Chihoro said.

Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino was also a happy man as his team grabbed goals through forwards Phillip Marufu and Tinei Chitora as they got the better of Flame Lily in a 2-1 victory.

“We’re looking forward to the quarter-final draw. Last year in our first season in the Premiership we were concentrating on survival and we were beaten in the first round. But now we’ve stabilised and we’re confident and want to see how far we can go,” he said.

Quarter-finals teams

Harare City, Dynamos, FC Platinum, Triangle, Chicken Inn, How Mine, ZPC Kariba, Chapungu.