WINNERS of the Castle Challenge Cup tie pitting FC Platinum and Bulawayo Chiefs Saturday at Mandava Stadium, Zvishavane will pocket US$30 000 bhorafrika.com has learnt.
By Bhora Afrika
Runners up are set to get US$20 000 as the 2023 Premier Soccer League season roars into life.
The Challenge Cup match is a season opener played between the previous year’s champions and knock out cup winners.
Platinum are the reigning league title winners while Chiefs, who won their first major trophy since earning top flight league promotion in 2018, were crowned champions of Chibuku Super Cup beating Herentals in the final.
Who are you tipping to win the match?
The platinum miners are yet to taste defeat in the Castle Challenge Cup tie since its inception in 2017, meaning they have won it a record three times.
On the other hand, the Ninjas who will be playing this fixture for the first time will be expecting to pull a shocker against Norman Mapeza’s FC Platinum.
FC Platinum retained more than half of their squad which won the league title while Chiefs experienced a massive player exodus due to financial issues.
Platinum bolstered their squad by bringing in new signings Jarrison Selemani, Misheck Ngwenya and returnee Perfect Chikwende.
Attacker Selemani was with Cranborne Bullets while defender Ngwenya was at Triangle United and highly-rated Chikwende was snatched from Chiefs.
Meanwhile, Chiefs only managed to retain a few players from the squad that won the Chibuku Super Cup.
Captain Malvin Mkolo, striker Obriel Chirinda, Billy Vheremu and veteran defender Ben Nyahunzvi are some of the players who stayed at the club.
Amakhosi Amahle who also appointed a new coach, Lizwe Sweswe, secured the signatures of ex-Warriors skipper Danny ‘Deco’ Phiri and former golden boot winner Kudakwashe Musharu.
One Response