Chronicle Editor
Don Makanyanga in Ngezi
Ngezi Platinum 1-0 Manica Diamonds
A late penalty converted by Kudzai Chigwida ensured that Ngezi Platinum Stars shot to the summit of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table.
Ngezi Platinum Stars and Manica Diamonds went into yesterday’s match tied on 39 points each, and a win by either team would see either topping the log standings, maybe for a day.
And it was the hosts that had the last smile, courtesy of a 83rd minute penalty converted by Chigwida after Lawrence Masibhera handled in an attempt to clear a Marvelous Mukumba cross.
After their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Herentals last weekend, Ngezi Platinum Stars, coach Chiragwi was full of praise for his charges for showing character and bouncing back to winning ways.
“These three points are important to us because we add to what we had already which is more important. What gives you confidence is winning games. Unfortunately last week we lost to Herentals but the guys bounced back to pick three points from this match which I feel was not an easy one for us,” said Chiragwi.
His opposite, Manica Diamonds coach Jairos Tapera was unfazed by the defeat, but instead was full of praise of his charges. “At the start of the season what we said was we wanted to win as many games as possible and this one included and unfortunately we did not manage to. We had no pressure of coming here to win and climb to the top but what is good is the experience we managed to gain from this match. And I am happy with how my guys played,” said Tapera.
It was a balanced affair early on with very little goal mouth action and it was the visitors who had the first sniff at goal.
The first goal scoring opportunity of the match came on the quarter of an hour mark when, Manica Diamonds midfielder, Talent Chamboko beat his markers on the left flank before flighting a dangerous cross which was intercepted for a corner kick by the hosts defender Kudzai Chigwida. With the opening stages centred on the middle of the park, Ngezi Platinum were forced to make an injured inspired substitution when defender Ariel Makopa clashed with an opponent near the centre line.
Makopa was replaced by Polite Moyo as his injury was so bad that the defender had to be ferried away by an ambulance.
With Ngezi Platinum Stars enjoying the lion’s share of the midfield battle, the platinum miners started to make inroads into the gems’ defence utilising their wings. And the change of plans came close to ending the deadlock in in the 25th minute when Qadr Amini’s low cross was received by Takunda Benhura inside Manica Diamonds penalty box.
Instead of going for goal, the young midfielder gave Valentine Kadonzvo a lay-off just outside the penalty box, only for the former Dynamos forward to shoot straight into the hands of Tedious Baye in goal for the visitors.
Baye was called to action again a minute later when he rushed off his line to deny Bruno Mtigo a goal scoring opportunity in a one-on-one situation.
Ngezi Platinum Stars had another opportunity saved by Baye a minute into added time of the first-half when he saved a Tapiwa Mandinyenya freekick.
In his bid to add more attacking options to his side, Chiragwi introduced the trio of Marvelous Mukumba, Walter Vuwa and Delic Murimba.
The substitution was to bring in a more attacking flair to the hosts, and it came close to paying dividends 15 minutes before the final whistle when Benhura latched onto a Malvin Gaki through pass. But the brilliance of Baye was to save the day for the Gem Boys as he put up a superb save.
The Gem Boys had few goal scoring opportunities in the second half as the played second fiddle to the hosts.
Ngezi Platinum Stars were awarded a penalty 10 minutes from time by referee Edward Mucharambeyi after Masibhera handled inside the box in an attempt to clear a Mukumba cross.
Chigwida made no mistake from the spot as he beat Baye with a powerful shot despite the goalkeeper going the right way.
Online Reporter