We do not fear FC Platinum, we are in to win it, declare Marere

MCM Estates Northern Region Soccer League basement side Marere FC insist they are not in the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup Round of 32 by luck and believe they have what it takes to eliminate Castle Lager Premier Soccer League outfit FC Platinum when the two sides meet next month.

Despite enduring a difficult debut campaign in the MCM Northern Region Soccer League, Marere have transformed into one of the tournament’s surprise packages after a memorable run through the preliminary rounds to book a place among the tournament’s last 32. 

Team manager Claudious Mapako insists his side has nothing to fear going into the tie and believes their cup exploits prove they deserve to be there.

“We are not in the Round of 32 by accident and we are not there just to make numbers. Looking at where we have come from, we are in it to win it. We have already caused upsets by beating teams like Golden Eagles, who are above us in the league, and there is no reason why we cannot do it again in the next round,” said Mapako.

Marere’s road to the Round of 32 has been built on resilience and belief.

The Sanyati-based club overcame Gwayi Valley Cranes after pulling off one of the biggest shocks of the qualifying rounds by eliminating Golden Eagles, a side enjoying a far better league campaign than the Northern Region newcomers.

Their impressive cup run secured one of the 14 lower-division places in the Round of 32, where they were drawn against four-time Zimbabwean champions FC Platinum. 

While FC Platinum will start as favourites because of their top-flight status and vast cup experience, the Zvishavane based men have struggled for consistency in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League this season.

They even parted ways head coach Joel Luphahla and his entire technical team today, following a string of poor results.

For Marere, the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup has become the perfect escape from their league struggles. Although they remain rooted at the bottom of the Northern Region standings, their performances in the knockout competition have shown they can rise to the occasion against stronger opposition. 

With confidence high in the Marere camp and FC Platinum still searching for their best form, the Round of 32 clash promises to be one of the most intriguing fixtures of the competition as the Northern Region underdogs look to write another memorable chapter in their remarkable cup journey.