NGEZI Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi has demanded that his side be more clinical in front of goal when they face AS Maniema of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the CAF Champions League preliminary round second leg match in Kinshasa tomorrow afternoon.
The Zimbabwe champions bossed the first leg, which they hosted in Zambia last week, but failed to put away the numerous chances they created as the match ended goalless.
With the away goals rule in force in this competition, Chiragwi knows any goal scored by his side will do them a world of wonders.
“We had a lot of opportunities in the first leg, which we, unfortunately, failed to utilise,” Chiragwi moaned.
“We must continue to play the way that provided us an edge in creating chances without undermining the strength or abilities of the opponent. We have to do much better high up the pitch.”
Ngezi Platinum Stars touched down in Kinshasha from their temporary base in Lusaka just after midnight on Thursday and had their first training session later in the day yesterday.
Chiragwi is happy with the spirit in his camp ahead of the make or break match.
“The guys are displaying a great deal of enthusiasm and the preparations are progressing smoothly,” he said.
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It is the lack of goals that continues to worry the former Shabanie Mine mentor.
Madamburo, as the team is affectionately known, are going through a worrisome goal drought.
They have scored a single goal in their last six matches in all competitions.
For a team that boasts proven strikers like last season’s league Golden Boot winner Takunda Benhura and Obriel Chirinda, this goal-scoring return is quite disappointing.
“We need to be clinical,” Chiragwi emphasised.
The good news for Chiragwi is that all the players in the travelling squad are fit and raring to go.
“We don’t have any injury concerns,” he confirmed.
Ngezi Platinum Stars were forced to adopt the Heroes Stadium as their home ground in Zambia because Zimbabwe does not have a CAF-certified stadium to host international matches.
The platinum miners are making their second appearance in the African Safari, having represented the country in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2017, where they failed to go past the first round.
