Zimbabwean champions FC Platinum are scheduled to host Angolan club Petro de Luanda this Sunday at the National Sports Stadium for the first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round. The match is the first of a two-legged contest that will determine which team advances to the final qualification stage before the tournament’s group phase.
In statements made to the media ahead of the match, FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza described the upcoming fixture as a significant challenge. Mapeza noted the experience of Petro de Luanda in continental competitions and stated the importance of his team achieving a positive result in the home leg before traveling to Angola.
“We are playing a very good team, a team with a rich history in African football,” Mapeza said during a press conference. “It’s not going to be easy, but we have to get a positive result at home.”
FC Platinum enters the competition as the reigning champion of the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League. The club has represented Zimbabwe in previous CAF Champions League campaigns, participating in the group stage during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. Their domestic success includes winning the last four consecutive league titles.
Petro de Luanda arrives in Harare as one of Angola’s most decorated clubs, holding numerous titles in their domestic league, the Girabola. The team has extensive experience in pan-African tournaments and advanced to the semi-finals of the most recent CAF Champions League tournament.
The winner of the two-legged fixture will be decided by the aggregate score across both matches. The return leg is scheduled to be held in Luanda, Angola, the following weekend. The victorious club will proceed to a final playoff round for a place in the group stage of Africa’s premier club football competition.
