BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE IN NGEZI AND NUNURAI JENA IN KARIBA
Ngezi Platinum Stars.. (1) 1
Yadah FC……………… (1)1
ZPC Kariba……………… (0) 1
FC Platinum……………. (1) 1
TWO goals inside the first eight minutes saw Yadah FC claim a big point against one of the top teams in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Ngezi Platinum at the Baobab Stadium yesterday.
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It turned out to be a frustrating afternoon for the hosts who stole the lead inside three minutes, with new signing Delic Murimba slotting home after Carlos Mavhurume raided Tanaka Shandirwa in a dangerous position.
However, the hosts’ lead lasted barely five minutes as the Miracle Boys needed a stroke of luck after the Ngezi defender beat his own goalkeeper Nelson Chadya looking to play the ball back under no pressure.
The Takesure Chiragwi coached side tried to restore the lead, but created very few scoring chances all afternoon.
Chiragwi seemed agitated during the post-match interview.
He quipped: “The game is over, its 1 – 1 that’s the result, which is there. What do you want me to say?”
“We created a lot of chances we couldn’t score its part of football and we are still going, the games are still there.
The point was well deserved for Yadah who came all the way from Harare to play football and yet again exhibited a brand of entertaining football.
Save for a brilliant stop to deny Marvelous Mukumba, Ngezi Platinum never bothered Yadah goalkeeper Richard Chiminga.
Even a triple substitution by Chiragwi to bring on new signing Last Jesi and Tapiwa Sibanda as well as Walter Vuwa could not yield a positive result.
Yadah coach Genesis Mangombe was happy with a point, but felt his side missed out on three points after they showed too much respect for the hosts.
In another stalemate in Kariba, veteran ZPC Kariba striker Newman Sianchali rose from the bench to score a controversial equaliser in added time at Nyamhunga stadium yesterday.
Sianchali fired home from a rebound two minutes in added time after the FC Platinum goalkeeper failed to deal with a freekick taken from just outside the box.
FC Platinum had earlier taken the lead in the 21st minute through a goal by striker Walter Musona.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza yet again felt hard done by the referee.
“I don’t have to say anything you saw it for yourself, it was atrocious. In the first half I just asked the referee why my player could not enter the field of play from the far side but he wanted to remove me from the bench” said Mapeza.
But ZPC Kariba coach Godfrey Tamirepi said referee Lawrence Zimondi did his best under the circumstances as it was tightly contested match. “The referee did his best because whenever we meet Platinum the game will be tight” he said.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League fixtures
Yesterday: Bulawayo Chiefs 0-0 Tenax , ZPC Kariba 1-1 FC Platinum, Harare City 3-1 Craneborne Bullets, Black Rhinos 1-2 Triangle United, Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-1 Yadah
Today: Manica Diamonds v Caps United (Sakubva), WhaWha v Herentals (Ascot), Bulawayo City v Highlanders (Barbourfields), Dynamos v Chicken Inn (National Sports Stadium)