NGEZI PLATINUM STARS . . . . . . . 0
ZPC KARIBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
PREMIER Soccer League champions Ngezi Platinum Stars missed on the opportunity to close the gap on log leaders FC Platinum after they were held at home by ZPC Kariba yesterday.
It was the second game in a row that the Takesure Chiragwi-coached side failed to win after their draw against the table toppers in their previous encounter.
The Mhondoro-based side slipped to third with 35 points, two behind Simba Bhora and four adrift of leaders FC Platinum, who play Chicken Inn today.
Needing to win and keep pressure on the fellow platinum miners in the race for the title, Ngezi huffed and puffed in a game of very few chances.
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The closest that Chiragwi’s men came to finding a breakthrough in this tepid encounter was in the fifth minute when Nigel Makumbe struck the cross bar from a freekick just outside the box.
Moments later, Moses Demera had a chance to punish his former club ZPC Kariba after he was left unmarked inside the box from a corner kick, but headed wide from a good range.
At the other end, ZPC Kariba midfielder Tellmore Pio failed to finish off a swift counter-attack by the visitors after he was put through, aiming his weak shot straight into the grateful hands of keeper Nelson Chadya.
Those proved to be the only meaningful chances of a forgettable first half.
Chiragwi made some changes at the start of the second half by bringing in Obriel Chirinda, captain Qadr Amini and new boy Tinotenda Meke to try and inject some life into the boring match, but they failed to break down the visitors.
Young Tanaka Munemo, one of the four players who were unveiled by Ngezi this week, was also thrown in the fray for his Premier League debut, and he almost found the target on 77 minutes, only for his shot to be saved by ZPC Kariba keeper Future Sibanda.
It is the 18-year-old Munemo’s perfomance in the 20th minute that the Real Betis Academy player should have delighted Chiragwi as he showed some glimpses of brilliance, even overshadowing the highly-rated Meke.
Chiragwi attributed his team’s flat performance to fatigue.
“I think we deserved to get a point,” Chiragwi said.
“We didn’t play well today from the onset, but it’s understandable because the last game we played (against FC Platinum) was very taxing.
“The players put a lot of effort in Zvishavane so in terms of energy levels, it was low and not good enough.”
He said his charged “tried their best”, adding that since they were playing at home, “we really wanted to get maximum points, but we also have to respect the opponents”.
“They also played well and we are happy we managed to get a point which I feel will add value as we are going forward,” Chiragwi said.
“For today, we need to thank God for giving us that point. Hopefully, we will come back in terms of scoring goals when we recover from this because it looks like the boys were tired. We know we can do better than this.”
Ngezi will need to recover from this fast as they have the big clash against Manica Diamonds coming up at the weekend away in Mutare.
ZPC Kariba coach Newton Chitewe was also happy that his side managed to get a point.
“It’s a point gained for us because we were playing away from home,” Chitewe said.
“We have been losing in this ground ever since, so it’s good for us because it’s the first time for us to get something here.
“We have been losing here, with big margins 5-0, 5-1 so it’s a good result for us today. The plan was to contain them and then catch them on a fast break. It almost worked for us, especially in the first half. We got some very good opportunities which we should have buried.”
Teams
Ngezi Platinum Stars: N Chadya, C Mavhurume, P Moyo (Q Amini, 46’), K Chigwida, F Madhanaga, M Mukumba, L Kashitigu, N Makumbe (T Munemo, 70’), M Gaki (T Meke, 46’), C Mapoka (T Benhura, 70’), M Demera (O Chirinda, 46’)
ZPC Kariba: F Sibanda, K Madima, N Gurende, T Pio (T Chidhobha, 80’), M Gavaza, K Dzingai, C Muleya, F Shoko, S Makawa, B Mutukure, S Ngala