FC Platinum, Dynamos, Caps in Zimbabwe PSL winning start, Highlanders held

FC Platinum got their Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League title defense off to a flying start with a 2-0 win over Harare City at Rufaro Stadium.

Goals by Ali Sadiki and defender Elvis Moyo in either half spiced the platinum miners’ trip to the capital city.

It was a perfect start for FC Platinum who have dominated Zimbabwean football by winning the league titles in the past two seasons.

With FC Platinum recently participating in the Caf Champions League group stages, it was always going to be difficult for Harare City who was coming in from the off-season.

Elsewhere, a second-half brace by Congolese forward Ngandu Mangala helped record champions Dynamos start off on a high note with a 2-0 victory over new boys Mushowani Stars.

Dynamos last won the league title in 2014 and are seeking reclaim their lost glory. After dominating the local football scene with four straight league titles between 2011 and 2014, the Harare giants’ want to bury the poor past four seasons.

While Dynamos were winning, another traditional giant Highlanders was being to s 1-1 draw by Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium.

Moses Demera thrust Black Rhinos into the lead in the second half but Highlanders pulled back through a converted penalty by goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda.

Highlanders fans might not have welcomed the result as a positive start for a side that seeks to end a 16-year league title drought.

Meanwhile, 2015 champions Chicken Inn got their campaign off to a bright start with a 3-1 home win over ZPC Kariba.

A brace Clive Augusto and another strike by Simon Munawa carried the day for Chicken Inn.

Nigel Makumbe grabbed ZPC Kariba’s consolation. Another traditional heavyweight Caps United rolled their campaign on a winning note by defeating newly-promoted Manica Diamonds 2-0.

John Zhuwawo and Joel Ngodzo scored in a dominant first half by Caps United who is seeking to win the league title they last claimed in 2016.

“It was a very good game but I thought it was a game of two halves,’’ Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe was quoted as saying by The Herald.

“Our build-ups, especially in the first half, were very precise and in terms of game possession, we did well. Then, the second half, it was rather for fear of losing that we had to concentrate on managing the game and I thought we did manage it very well. We did manage to achieve all our objectives.”