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Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
REIGNING Castle Lager Premier Soccer League kings Ngezi Platinum Stars endured an unceremonious and early exit from the CAF Champions League but the Mhondoro outfit have turned disappointment into inspiration.
They liked what they saw and experienced in their brief flirtation with Africa’s biggest inter-club knock-out tournament.
Defeat by less fancied Democratic Republic of Congo side AS Maniema who beat them 4-3 on penalties after the two legs had ended goalless, meant that Ngezi’s African adventure ended at the preliminary stage.
Yet Ngezi had been hoping to make an impact on their Champions League debut.
Now Ngezi are eager to conquer again on the domestic scene and make a quick return to continental football next year.
The miners’ assistant coach, Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva, who has been holding fort at training in the absence of the gaffer Takesure Chiragwi said their Champions League early exit had hurt them.
Chiragwi has been away on Warriors’ duty in Kampala, Uganda. Mutiwekuziva feels that the tough lessons they learnt during their brief flirtation with the Champions League would help them in their quest to retain the Premiership title.
“It was a big learning curve for the team and especially the players and the exit gave us a lot of hope.
“From the short stint, the players understood that no stage is big, hence they are prepared to fight and have a second dance.
“After losing in Congo it gave them hope that we can do better than we did, and this has been a motivating factor for the players to want to return to the African Safari,” Mutiwekuziva said. He added that Ngezi are aware that there is also another opportunity to secure a ticket to continental football should they fail in the league but win the Chibuku Super Cup.
“The players are geared up for both the Chibuku Super Cup and league challenge,” he said.
Ngezi, who won the Chibuku Super Cup in 2016 under Tonderai Ndiraya, face 2022 winners Bulawayo Chiefs in a rescheduled first-round clash at Baobab this afternoon.
The miners who rarely lose at Baobab, will be hoping to build on their 2-0 league win over Yadah Stars shortly before the FIFA international break.
Ngezi came a cropper against Dynamos in last year’s final in a season in which they were chasing a historic double.
“As Ngezi Platinum Stars we need to progress to the next round and try to go all the way to the final and do better than we did last year.
“This is a good opportunity for us to return to the African Safari, The Chibuku Super Cup gives us the platform to also return to continental football, and with the experience we gained we are confident of returning there,” said Mutiwekuziva.
They remain confident of treble this season having already won the Castle Challenge Cup at the start of the season.
Ngezi are, however not having it easy in the league marathon where they trail leaders Simba Bhora by nine points.
They, however, have a game in hand.
“Our main focus is to have another campaign in the African Safari through either Chibuku or the Castle Lager Prem-ier League and our target and aim is to win both cups.” Mutiwekuziva said Bulawayo Chiefs needed to be respected as they got into battle with them.
“They are an organised team and they are not an easy opponent hence we need to take the game to them and see what happens but we remain confident of progressing to the next round of the competition.
“We have to utilise home advantage and I am also happy with the zeal to return to the Africa Safari by the players that alone is a motivating factor for us going into the match,” said Mutiwekuziva.
Online Reporter