daniel chigunwe
Tadious Manyepo in MHONDORO-NGEZI
Ngezi Platinum Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)2
FC Platinum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
ARE the wheels falling off for four-time Castle Lager Premiership champions FC Platinum?
For the second time in two weeks, FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza showed some commendable maturity when rushing onto the field of play to calm his emotionally-charged players in this tense platinum derby defeat at Baobab yesterday.
The FC Platinum players mobbed referee Edward Mucharambeyi who they wanted to overturn Ngezi Platinum Stars’ opening goal.
Tinotenda Murasiranwa squeezed in the first goal after 34 minutes for the hosts following a goalmouth melee that had players pushing and shoving inside the box.
The visitors thought Mucharambeyi should have disallowed the goal as they claimed Ngezi Platinum defender Polite Moyo had handled the ball.
Another impressive youngster Takunda Benhura sealed the points in the second half to propel the Mhondoro side into first place after Highlanders and CAPS United were restricted to goalless draws in the other matches played yesterday.
But it was the show of maturity by Mapeza who had to join the Zimbabwe Republic Police details in shielding Mucharambeyi from possible assault by his charges.
Only two weeks ago, Mapeza had to enter the field of play to calm his players who were charging towards referee Lawrence Zimondi over an insignificant incident right at the end of their 1-0 defeat at the hands of Herentals at the National Sports Stadium.
“We could have done better with those two goals. I don’t know what happened (in the first goal) but I think the guys (FC Platinum players) got too emotional and it destroyed our game plan.
“This is the second time I have gone into the pitch (this season) to say guys let’s keep on playing,” said Mapeza.
“But there is nothing I can do, if I had not gone out there, you don’t know what could have happened.
“But, I think from that moment, the guys lost it. They could have done better. I told them in the dressing room that guys you need to control (your) emotions.
“They are the ones who are inside, they are the ones who can see what’s happening, I can’t see what is happening there.
“At the end of the day, congratulations to Ngezi Platinum, they deserved the points”.
It’s a game that the hosts wanted more and they were superior in all the moments.
The Takesure Chiragwi charges were hungrier than their guests as they were always first on the ball.
They should have scored, deservedly, more than three goals in the opening half had they been clinical in front of goal.
They restricted the reigning champions to just one shot at goal, a first half low freekick by the reigning Soccer Star of the Year Walter Musona which was impressively saved by the reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Nelson Chadya.
Yet, it is Jarrison Selemani who should have given FC Platinum the lead in the opening moments but technique failed him after finding himself unmarked in the box.
Instead it was the workaholic Murasiranwa who opened the scoring at the opposite end.
Tapiwa Mandinyenya flighted a perfect ball from a freekick near the corner flag and FC Platinum failed to decisively deal with the ball.
That allowed Murasiranwa to force the ball in from the resultant scramble with FC Platinum third-choice goalkeeper Francis Tizayi who was given the nod for the first time this season in sixes and sevens.
Ngezi Platinum should have added more but their strikers were not decisive before the break. But they started the second stanza exactly as they had ended the first, dictating the pace of the game.
And five minutes after the resumption, Benhura beat his marker and let loose a powerful shot that beat Tizayi, with the help of a deflection from Gift Bello to wrap the points.
It was impressive of Ngezi Platinum, who were coming from a demoralising goalless draw with Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium four days ago.
They never looked tired and kept a decent crowd at Baobab entertained throughout the afternoon.
But the most outstanding moment of the game was when Elson Mweha blocked what could have been FC Platinum’s consolation goal towards the end, denying Musona from point blank range.
And Chiragwi was happy with how his charges played yesterday.
“We planned this game very well and I would like to congratulate my boys for this win. “We played against Black Rhinos in Harare just a few days ago and the match was not easy. We lost a lot of energy, I didn’t expect them to play this well.
“But, I think we did well in managing our recovery after that energy-sapping tie.
“I think against FC Platinum, we did very well in diffusing their strengths,” said Chiragwi.
“We know they play a passing game just like us so the idea was to deny them from playing their normal game through pressing high.
“We sort of took a risk by throwing all our youngsters upfront so they would give us speed and energy.
“They did just that and we got the goals from two of the youngsters, Tino Murasiranwa and Takunda Benhura, which is good for the team.
“I am happy we managed a win at home which is good in front of the supporters”.
Ngezi Platinum, with 17 points under their belt are now top of the standings with a point clear of giants Highlanders and CAPS United.
FC Platinum, winless in their last five games, slumped to ninth place with 12 points. So far, they have been a pale shadow of the side that won the last four domestic league titles in a row.
Teams
Ngezi Platinum Stars
Nelson Chadya, Kudzai Chigwida, Gareth Madhake, Polite Moyo, Tinotenda Murasiranwa (Qadr Amini 77min) Marvelous Mukumba, Elson Mweha (Malvin Gaki 77min), Walter Vuwa (Malvin Kwinjo 66min), Leslie Kashitigu, Takunda Benhura (Delic Murimba 90mins), Tapiwa Mandinyenya (Marlon Mushonga 66min)
FC Platinum
Francis Tizayi, Lawrence Mhlanga (Gift Mbweti 22min) Gift Bello, Misheck Ngwenya (Rainsome Pavari 86min), Kelvin Mangiza, Hagiazo Magaya, Brian Banda (Juan Mutudza 46min), Innocent Mucheneka, Jarrison Selemani (Panashe Mutimbanyoka 46min), Walter Musona, Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya (Emmanuel Chikwende 60min)
Online Reporter