malvernmugadzikwa
Don Makanyanga in MHONDORO-NGEZI
Ngezi Platinum Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
Triangle FC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
GOALS by Malvin Gaki and Takunda Benhura either side of the break helped Ngezi Platinum Stars to take a giant step towards their dream of a league and cup double this season.
The platinum miners saw off the challenge of Triangle at Baobab Stadium yesterday to book their place in the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals. Ngezi are also chasing a maiden league title and currently lie a close second behind leaders Highlanders on the Premiership log standings.
Yesterday, the 2016 Chibuku Super Cup winners triumphed over the 2018 winners of the same tournament.
It was a result that left youthful coach Takesure Chiragwi full of praise for his charges.
“I am happy that we managed to get the goals. This is an area which has been of concern for us,” he said.
“We did very well and we are happy that we have progressed to the next round.
“We need to take each game as it comes and get to the final and see what happens … I am happy that we have managed to progress to the next round.”
Triangle coach Joseph Sibanda, who won the competition with Bulawayo Chiefs last year, felt it was always going to be a tough ask for him to defend the title.
“Ngezi Platinum Stars had a brilliant first half and I think we left it too late to come back into the game.
“It’s not an easy cup to win and starting away from home was not going to be easy for me and the team, but we tried our best,” said Sibanda.
The hosts dominated proceedings from the onset.
Ngezi were unlucky not to have taken the lead inside the opening stages of the match as they wasted the clear-cut chances that came their way.
They could have found an early breakthrough when veteran Qadr Amini cut the ball back for Marlon Mushonga in the fifth minute, but the midfielder rushed his effort and scrambled a short shot that went over.
Amini had another glorious chance to put the hosts in front four minutes later when he received a through ball from Marvelous Mukumba inside the Triangle box but he missed the target.
The former Zimbabwe international then forced a superb save from Matripples Muleya in the 25th minute as his goal-bound free-kick was pushed out for a corner.
Ngezi’s incessant pressure put Triangle on the back foot for much of the first half.
The visitors had to rely on sporadic raids.
One such raid came in the 30th minute when Wayne Makuva’s cross found an unmarked Russel Madamombe inside the box.
Madamombe’s free header was, however, palmed away by an alert Nelson Chadya.
Ngezi’s pressure finally yielded a goal three minutes before the break when Gaki released a volley.
Gaki was a recipient of a pass from a swift move involving man-of-the-match Farai Madhanaga, who won possession inside the centre circle, charged towards goal before threading the ball to Mushonga, who was already on the run.
Mushonga, in turn, chipped the ball over the Triangle defenders to find Gaki, who controlled the ball with his chest before unleashing a powerful volley to the far right post and beyond Muleya’s reach.
It was a similar tale in the second period with Ngezi enjoying greater possession.
In the 70th minute, they got some insurance when second-half substitute Takunda Benhura headed in a Tapiwa Mandinyenya corner-kick.
Triangle pulled one back three minutes from time through substitute and veteran striker Newman Sianchali, but it was a little too late to force the game into extra time.
Online Reporter