FC Platinum........(0)1
TelOne.....................(0)
FC PLATINUM stormed into the quarter-finals of the 2024 Chibuku Super Cup after a 1-0 win over TelOne in a lacklustre encounter played at Mandava Stadium yesterday.
Second half substitute Oscar Bhebhe scored the all-important goal for the trailblazing Norman Mapeza coached side.
And Mapeza was elated by the win, albeit his men's lack of creativity in the second half.
"We did ourselves a great favour by progressing into the next round. Everyone wants to play in the final. We played well in the first half but the only thing lacking was creativity," Mapeza said.
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"So we made changes to bring in Oscar Bhebhe in the second half and he got the goal for us. And I am happy with this because our goalkeeper was never tested today."
His counterpart Herbert Maruwa said they are shifting focus to the league. "The boys did well because we missed three players who were out due to flue.
"They gave it all, but we couldn't win. So we have to quickly move on from this and hope that we can be able to grind results in the league."
TelOne were a bit sluggish in the first half as if It took deliberately frustrate FC Platinum. As such it took exactly 25 minutes for both teams to click into the right gears.
FC Platinum had the first meaningful chance as Mbongeni Ndlovu broke loose on the wing before whipping in a good cross that was timely intercepted from Tafadzwa Jaravani, with goalkeeper Alois Tangwara left exposed.
Juan Mutudza got another chance on the 40th minute inside box, picking up a stray pass from Xolisani Moyo but his stylish attempted was blocked by Tangwara.
TelOne spent the entire first half without registering a single shot on target, but they were happy to have kept FC Platinum at bay.
In reaction, FC Platinum pulled out Juan Mutudza hoping add more speed on the wings and crack TelOne's sluggish plan. But that did not yield instant results, rather the match developed into a temperamental affair.
Bhebhe finally broke the deadlock after 71 minutes, after freely tapping the ball home from pass from Jarrison Selemani . That was all the needed to win.
TEAMS
FC PLATINUM: W Magalane, B Nzori, M Ndlovu, R Pavari, H Magaya(Shephard Mhlanga 79'), Shoko, B Banda(B Manhire 88'), J Mutudza(O Bhebhe 46'), Mutimbanyoka(T Ngwenya 88'), J Selemani, W Muvirimi(M Ngwenya 78')
TELONE XI: A Tangwara, T Nyabinde, L Mugoni( K Jaison 76') H Chikosa(C Chidomaya 76'), A Chapinduka, L Hofisi, A Dzumbunu, X Moyo(F Muza 84'), T Sibanda, W Navaya, T Jaravani