Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE Caf Champions League representatives FC Platinum and Caf Confederation Cup Triangle United’s qualification to the next round of the tournaments shows that the local league is highly competitive, acting Warriors’ coach Joey Antipas has said.

FC Platinum secured passage to next stage of the continental competition after beating Mozambican side UD Songo with an aggregate 5-2 scoreline. The platinum miners reportedly turned up the heat in the second half to overturn a 2-0 deficit and beat Songo 4-2 in Beira on Saturday. They had taken a 1-0 lead going into the second leg.

While FC Platinum staged a dramatic comeback in Mozambique, Triangle United completed a double over Tanzania’s Azam who they beat 1-0.

The Sugar Sugar Boys as Triangle are affectionately known, left it a little too late to deliver a sucker punch on Azam with Trevor Mavhunga scoring four minutes before fulltime at Barbourfields Stadium.

Triangle had won the first leg in Tanzania by the same scoreline.

Antipas, who watched the Triangle-Azam encounter, was full of praise for Zimbabwean teams.

“For first timers in the continental competition, Triangle have done remarkably well against Azam who’ve been in this competition for sometime. They were organised, disciplined in all aspects of the game and hit Azam who I think also played well but blew their chances. Azam looked desperate and it was because of that desperation that they conceded.

“Going forward, I think Triangle’s qualification and that of FC Platinum shows that we have a competitive league, our teams have represented us well and the zeal to show that our game is on the ascendency is driving these teams in the continental tournaments,” said Antipas.

The acting Warriors’ coach said he was also on a scouting mission and was impressed by a number of players who included the Azam pair of left-footed utility player Bruce Kangwa and striker Donald Ngoma.

The Triangle trio of attacking midfielder and skipper Ralph Kawondera, rightback Praise Tonga and leftback Brian Chikwenya also impressed Antipas.

“This was also an opportunity to see how our Zimbabwean guys in Tanzania play and I must say I was impressed with Bruce who did well at leftback and never put a foot wrong. Donald is still full of energy, harrassed the Triangle defence in the first half but in the second half he was somehow subdued. I learnt that Donald is coming from injury maybe that’s why he kind of ran out of steam in the second half.

“I was also impressed by Triangle fullbacks (Tonha and Chikwenya) who were defensively disciplined and when they went forward provided good crosses. I also liked the way Ralph fitted from the attacking midfield role to central defence,” said Antipas.

The Triangle players will fancy their chances of making it into the Warriors squad that will play Lesotho away in the second leg of the Chan qualifier on October 20. — @ZililoR