Simba Bhora Bracing for FC Platinum Test
- News
- June 26, 2025
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Simba Bhora, the defending champions of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), are set to face a tough challenge this weekend as they travel to Zvishavane to take on unbeaten FC Platinum.
Despite being in top form, having gone six matches unbeaten, Simba Bhora head coach Joel Luphahla is aware of the daunting task ahead and is urging his team to remain focused and secure a positive result.
With 16 points from a possible 18 in their last six matches, Simba Bhora are flying high, but Luphahla knows that FC Platinum will not be an easy opponent to beat. “We are playing against a very good, well-oiled team, and also well-coached by a senior coach,” Luphahla said ahead of the match. “We are playing away from home, and I think they are not going to make it easy for us.”
FC Platinum’s unbeaten record this season makes them a formidable opponent, and Simba Bhora will need to be at their best to inflict the first defeat on the team. Luphahla is, however, confident that his team can rise to the challenge, saying, “We are going there with no pressure, we are going there hoping that these boys continue to do what they have been doing.”
As the defending champions, Simba Bhora are under scrutiny, and Luphahla is aware of the pressure that comes with wearing the crown. “We have to make sure that everything we do, we resemble the defending champions,” he said.
“The work that we do has to be double compared to other teams because when you are defending champions, there is always pressure, and there is also a lot of scrutiny.”
Simba Bhora currently sit at the top of the PSL log with 35 points, one more than second-placed MWOS. A win against FC Platinum would see them maintain their lead at the top of the table, and Luphahla’s team will be eager to cling onto pole position.
Under Luphahla’s guidance, Simba Bhora have been quietly building momentum, and recent times have seen the Shamva outfit shining brightly. After taking over from Tonderayi Ndiraya, Luphahla has assembled a strong side, and the team’s current form suggests that they are once again emerging as top contenders for the PSL title.
