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NGEZI Platinum coach Takesure Chiragwi and his men were full value of their 2-0 triumph as they made light work of a clueless Bikita Minerals in a Castle Lager Premiership encounter that was played before a nearly empty Sakubva Stadium in Mutare yesterday.
Given their outfright dominence, it was not even noticeable that the reigning Castle Lager Premiership outfit was missing three key players in Gareth Madhake, Qard Amin and Talent Chamboko.
The platinum miners were first off the blocks with an entertaining brand of attacking football, which was duly rewarded early in the sixth minute when 2023 Castle Lager Premiership Golden Boot winner Takunda Benhura curled the ball into the net a few yards from the box, beating a flat footed Victor Machopa, in goals for the hosts.
The jittery Machopa almost gifted the visitors another goal four minutes later when he failed to deal with center forward Moses Demera’s shot as he almosted howled the ball into his own net but luckily for him, there was no Ngezi Platinum player close by to tap in the rebound.
In fact, Ngezi Platinum were literally firing from all cylinders, and in the 23rd minute, forceful left winger Tapiwa Mandinyenya was back to torment the Bikita Minerals rear guard. However, his hard and low shot was parried to safety by Machopa.
Bikita Minerals came close to restoring parity in the 30th minute when Chris Makambira got to the end of a fine exchanges and released a thunderbolt that hit the upright when Ngezi Platinum goalkeeper Nelson Chadya had already been well beaten.
Bikita Minerals came back after the breather, giving a better performance by creating a number of clear cit scoring chances, but their strikers took turns to miss the target.
15 minutes into the second half, the lithium miners were made to pay for clumsy defending when Moses Demera rose high to connect Mandinyenya’s beautiful cross to extend the lead for Premiership reigning champions.
After the encounter, Ngezi Platinum coach Takesure Chiradwi expressed satisfaction with the result as well as his team’s performance in the last three encounters.
“I can not ask for more from my boys. They played well and we were solid from the onset. It was not evident that we played this match without three key players. The youngsters that we gave a chance proved acquitted themselves well.
It was not easy because we had three matches played in a short space of time but we still managed to get the nine points. I hope to continue in that direction as we get into our forthcoming league encounters,” said Chiragwi.
Bikita Minerals head coach Arnold Jani blammed his team’s defeat on lack of precision in front of goal.
“We had a good game of football today but it is unfortunate that we failed to convert numerous chances that we created. We could have easily leveled terms or even win this encounter had we utilized most of the scoring opportunities that we created. Nonetheless that is part of the game of football. We are going back to the drawing board to mend areas that we failed to live up to expectations,” said Jani.
Bikita Minerals:
Victor Machopa; Prince Milanzi; Blessing Kagudu; Carlton Munzabwa; Dennis Nhongo; Mtuche Barnabas; Allen Gahadzikwa (Tafadzwa Pini, 55 minutes); Bennedict Bera (Russel Madamombe, 82 minutes); Evans Katema (Kudakwashe Sibanda, 84 minutes); Chris Makambira (Liberty Maseure, 55 minutes); Hillary Jeke:
Ngezi Platinum:
Nelson Chadya; Tapiwa Mandinyenya (Nisbert Muzenda, 68th minute); Leslie Kashitigu (Adam Ngwenya, 82 minutes); Takunda Benhura; Carlos Mavhurume; Moses Demera (Polite Moyo, 68th minute); Kudzai Chigwida; Never Tigere; Farai Madhananga; Marvelous Mukumba; Richard Hachiro:
Online Reporter