NGEZI PLATINUM STARS . . . (2) 2
HWANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Ngezi Platinum Stars returned from an unplanned one month break, showing no ill effects from the layoff as they earned an important victory over Hwange at Baobab Stadium to move three points clear at the top of the Premier Soccer League.
Prior to the match, Ngezi coach Takesure Chiragwi was concerned that his charges could suffer from rust caused by the four-week break.
Yet Madamburo showed absolutely no signs of rust, and it was obvious from the opening whistle that the players were happy to be back on the pitch.
They were smooth, synced and controlled the match with striker Delic Murimba missing two good chances early on.
Captain Kudzai Chigwida opened the scoring in the 12th minute, latching onto a perfectly weighted cross from a freekick by Nigel Makumbe to head past Hwange goalkeeper Nedrick Madeya to the delight of the home crowd.
Having taken an early lead, Ngezi continued to press although they had to rely on a moment of good fortune to get their second goal on the 30th minute.
Madeya's goalkick clearance hit the back of Murimba and the ball fell on to the path of fellow striker Tinotenda Musariranwa who pounced, helping the ball over the line with his header.
Hwange's first chance came on 34th minute when Courage Sibanda forced a smart save from Nelson Chadya.
Musariranwa had the chance to kill off the match as a contest when he was fed by Murimba, but blazed over an open net late in the first half.
It seemed as though Ngezi would be left to rue the missed chances, especially after Hwange pulled one back with an absolute cracker from substitute Marceline Mlilo on 58th minute.
His effort, probably the best goal of the season contender, was smashed from a freekick some 30 yards out into the top corner away from the desperate dive of goalkeeper Chadya.
Buoyed by the sweet strike, Hwange pushed for an equaliser but Ngezi held on for the precious three points that took them to 26 points, three clear of their platinum cousins FC Platinum, who beat Chicken Inn 2-0 at Mandava yesterday.
Hwange remain on 10th position with 15 points from 13 matches.
Chiragwi was naturally excited his team was not affected by the break.
"We are more than happy as a team that we won, and we thank God for that. It was not an easy game for us because we played a very good opponent, but we managed to play according to our game plan.With this kind of performance, I think we are in the right direction and I'm very happy with the players how they responded to our demands in this first game."
Hwange coach Nation Dube felt his side could have done better.
"We started slowly hence we conceded that first goal from a setpiece. It was something that we could have defended better. The slow start had something to do with this long layoff. We finished strongly and things could have been better if we had taken our chances. Even in the first half we created some chances it's only that we were not clinical," Dube said.