FC Platinum coach warns of tough Black Rock cup test

Alberto Chamwadoro, [email protected]

FC Platinum head coach Thabo Senong says his side must be prepared for a high-intensity battle when they take on Division One side Blackrock in the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup round of 16 encounter tomorrow.

Senong says the introduction of a second cup competition by Zifa is a positive development, as it gives players more opportunities for match time and further development.

He says FC Platinum will not underestimate Blackrock, having learnt valuable lessons from their previous encounter with Marere in their Munhumutapa Challenge Cup where they won 1-0.

“Playing Division One teams is not easy. We’ve learned our lessons against Marere. Division One teams play with high tempo, a lot of intensity and a lot of energy,” said Senong.

The FC Platinum coach expects Blackrock to adopt a direct and attacking approach, with the miners focusing on controlling the tempo and managing their opponents’ intensity.

“They are forward-thinking in terms of their approach — very vertical, direct balls. That’s going to be very key for us on Saturday, to make sure that we try to control that and manage that,” he added.

Senong says his technical team has also been studying Blackrock closely, with the club’s analysts providing information on the opponents and their performances.

Despite expecting a difficult encounter, Senong remains confident that collective effort and attention to detail can help FC Platinum secure progress in the competition.

“We are aware that it’s not going to be easy, but we are positive that if we work collectively and focus on the small details, we can be able to get a positive result,” Senong said.

FC Platinum will now look to turn that preparation into performance when they lock horns with Blackrock on Saturday.