Chronicle Editor
Tadious Manyepo in MHONDORO-NGEZI
Ngezi Platinum Stars 2- 0 FC Platinum
FOR the second time inside two weeks, FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza showed some commendable maturity when rushing into the field of play to calm his emotionally-charged players.
The FC Platinum players mobbed referee Edward Mucharambeyi who they wanted to overturn Ngezi Platinum Stars’ opening goal in this tense platinum derby defeat at Baobab yesterday.
Tinotenda Murasiranwa squeezed in the first goal after 34 minutes for the hosts following a goalmouth melee that had players pushing and shoving and 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 by their respective opponents.
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 in 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 more 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 free-kick 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 free-kick 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 an energy-sapping match against Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium four days ago.
Online Reporter