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Tadious Manyepo, Sports Reporter
MARLON MUSHONGA knows wounded Ngezi Platinum Stars are fighters and they will be keen to defend their Premiership title.
The Ngezi midfielder is on a season-long loan at Yadah and most of the attention will be on him when the two teams clash in a league match at the Heart Stadium this afternoon.
With the Takesure Chiragwi boys still licking their wounds following their painful exit from the CAF Champions League in the first preliminary round last week, they will be eager to retain the championship and return to the continental club contest again.
They are nine points off top spot with an outstanding fixture and there is some air of optimism in their camp on their prospects to defend the title.
Yadah are a further eight points down the ladder, but they are hoping to finish the season on stronger terms.
And Mushonga has implored his teammates to be entirely alert when they face the reigning champions.
“We all know what Ngezi Platinum Stars are capable of doing. They are a very good side who can beat anyone. It’s unfortunate they lost in the cruellest manner in their CAF Champions League bid, but this is a great team,” said Mushonga.
“Obviously, they have a good chance of defending the title this year. They are still very much in the race and that makes them a tricky opponent to face.
“We are expecting a very tough encounter against them at the Heart Stadium tomorrow (today). I have been telling my Yadah teammates that we need to concentrate for the entire game to be able to get something from the tie.
“Of late, we have been playing perfectly good football and that is exactly what we need to do against Ngezi Platinum Stars.
“We are a competitive outfit with so many good players who carry the right mentality always and that really keeps us going as a team. We need the maximum points and there are no two ways about that.
“We are pushing for our own objectives as a team and everyone knows what we need to do so I think the match will be very exciting.”
Mushonga has transformed himself into a midfield beast under coach Thomas Ruzive.
Besides his outstanding duties shielding Ruzive’s preferred four-man defence, Mushonga is also effective on the offence with the former Tsholotsho man registering four assists and a goal for Yadah this term.
Ruzive also encouraged his charges to play with aplomb in front of the usually cheerful crowd at the Heart arena.
“We are missing Anotidaishe Gwatidzo who is on suspension, but generally we are good to go,” said Ruzive.
“Ngezi Platinum Stars are the reigning league champions and they have picked even more experience playing in the CAF Champions League.
“That means we need to be at our best to be able to get a positive outcome from our match. But we are going all out looking for a win.”
Online Reporter