FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza has reiterated the need for his side to defend better, saying their defensive record is a cause for concern.

The defending champions have kept only one clean sheet in their first five Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches —a 1-0 victory over Cranborne Bullets.

FC Platinum have also conceded first in four of the five matches they have played so far.

Last week against CAPS United, substitute Perfect Chikwende’s late equalizer restored parity for the platimum miners, after William Manondo had fired the Green Machine ahead in the first half.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit of Triangle United at Mandava Stadium, the serial tittle-winning coach highlighted the need for his charges to defend better.

“It not about the character,” Mapeza said when asked if his team coming from behind is a sign of good character.

“I will give you an example. If you have got a tendency of getting knocked down first, then you get up and win, I’m sure in one of those bouts, you will get a hard punch and you won’t even recover.

“I spoke about it after the CAPS United game, I’m really worried about it. It’s a situation whereby me as a coach, it worries me.

“It makes me worry because we have been conceding. If you look at our last five games,  we have been conceding in each and every game and it’s something we are trying to address.

Added Mapeza: “It’s something which we are trying to address as well during our training sessions but in any football game, it will be difficult, sometimes you recover, sometimes you don’t.”

The former Warriors captain insists conceding first might result in eventually losing the game due to the failure to recover and that is an area he is demanding some kind of improvement from his troops.

“If you fail to recover, you will end up losing the game. It happened against Highlanders, we couldn’t recover so it’s something which we gave been talking to the boys about and it’s a habit which needs to change,” said Mapeza.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Matchday 6 matches

Friday April 21 (15:00)

ZPC Kariba v Manica Diamonds (National Sports Stadium)

Saturday April 22 (15:00)

FC Platinum v Triangle United (Mandava)

Green Fuel v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Gibbo)

Hwange v Cranborne Bullets (Luveve)

Yadah v Highlanders (National Sports Stadium)

Black Rhinos v Herentals College (Baobab)

Sunday April 23 (15:00)

Dynamos v Bulawayo Chiefs (National Sports Stadium)

Sheasham v Simba Bhora (Mandava)

Chicken Inn v CAPS United (Babourfields)