SIMBA Bhora coach Tonderai Ndiraya has demanded his title-chasing side to be ruthless in front of goal if they are to mount a challenge for Castle Lager Premier Soccer League honours this season.
The ambitious Shamva-based side ended Manica Diamonds’ 13-match unbeaten run with a 1-0 win at Wadzanai Stadium on Saturday.
Midfielder Mthokozisi Msebe scored a second-minute stunner to help the home side complete a league double over the Jairosi Tapera-coached side.
Ndiraya’s men moved to third position on the log with 33 points, the same number as second-placed Ngezi Platinum Stars.
The two teams are five points behind log leaders FC Platinum with 16 matches still to be played.
The former Dynamos coach was happy his charges managed to garner all three points, but was disappointed by how his side wasted numerous chances that came their way.
Striker Harrison Masina was the chief culprit as he missed two sitters, while Msebe, Tymon Machope (twice) and captain Walter Musona all wasted glorious opportunities to improve the team’s goal difference and put the game to bed.
Second half substitute Perfect Chikwende also failed to tap in a cross from close range.
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“We created so many chances and if Harrison Masina was clinical, he could have easily scored a brace. Then there were also other chances that we missed. On a good day, we should have scored four, five goals. It worries me because you want your team to be clinical. We want to improve on our goal difference,” Ndiraya said.
“With all due respect to Manica Diamonds, we should have scored more goals. But in the end, what is important is the three points that we got.”
Simba Bhora president Simba Ndoro has made it public that his side is going for the title this term and he backed it by reinforcing the squad with 11 quality signings at the start of the season.
He made big money signings, adding the likes of goalkeepers Talbert Shumba and Simba Chinani, midfielders Msebe, former Soccer Star of the Year Musona, Junior Makunike, Billy Veremu and strikers Masina and Chikwende, giving the team’s supporters genuine optimism that their side can win the title this season, in their only second campaign in the topflight.
Ndiraya is happy with how his new-look team is progressing, but he felt they could do with a little bit of consistency if they are to meet the lofty targets set by the club boss.
Simba Bhora are yet to stitch more than three wins together this season and Ndiraya is hoping that they can build on their huge victory over Manica Diamonds and go on a good winning streak.
“It is good to start the second round of matches with a win. We want to take a step by step, with 16 games to go. We have a very difficult fixture ahead of us.”
Simba Bhora’s next match is away to Green Fuel on Saturday before they host Highlanders the following week.
“We want to make sure that we collect points, especially in those two matches so that we set the tone for the remainder of the games,” Ndiraya said.
“We were fighting relegation last year, and for us to be where we are at the moment, is quite a remarkable achievement.
“We want to make sure that we stay up there with the best. We have set ourselves targets, and so far, I think we are moving in the right direction.”
He said he was more worried about the team’s “consistency”.
“Our record in the first 17 games shows we were not as consistent as we would have liked. We would lose, win, draw and then the next game we lose again. We want to find a winning streak which will take us to a good position at the end of the season.”
