Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze-Zimpapers Sports Hub
NGEZI Platinum Stars were supposed to be struggling for survival this season.
Instead, they are heading to Rufaro unbeaten and sitting right in the middle of a title race nobody saw coming.
A club hit by a FIFA transfer ban, drained of senior players and forced into another coaching rebuild now finds itself one result away from matching one of the best starts in its history.
When Kumbirai Mutiwekuziwa takes Ngezi to face Dynamos this week, he carries more than just another unbeaten run.
He stands on the edge of a record last touched by Tonderai Ndiraya in 2018.
Back then, Ndiraya’s side went 14 games unbeaten and looked capable of winning the league before the season eventually turned against them.
Ngezi lost momentum after a 1-0 defeat to Bulawayo Chiefs on Match Day 15 and Ndiraya was later fired with five games left despite the club still sitting second.
Now Mutiwekuziwa has a chance to either join that conversation or move beyond it.
“Any coach would want to write their own piece of history,” said Mutiwekuziwa.
“I am happy that I might be on the verge but this also comes with pressure if one is not careful.
“I prefer to focus on myself and stick to our own plan as a team without looking at the subplots to the fixture. Our eyes are on the big prize, and this is what we are working on as a team.” Few gave Ngezi a chance at the start of the campaign.
The Mhondoro side began the season under a FIFA ban after failing to settle a US$196,750 debt owed to former assistant coach Bongani Mafu following his dismissal in 2022.
The punishment meant they could not register new players. At the same time, at least eight senior players left the club together with coach Takesure Chiragwi.
What looked like a disaster forced Ngezi into survival mode.
The club promoted Mutiwekuziwa from assistant coach and told him to work with what was left.
He recalled loaned-out players, trusted youngsters and rebuilt quietly while attention drifted elsewhere.
Most people expected Ngezi to either fight relegation or float around mid-table.
Instead, they are the only unbeaten side left in the league after 14 matches.
“Starting the season, we never imagined being at this position at this stage of the campaign,” said Mutiwekuziwa.
“The major target was to survive relegation and all this comes as a bonus.
“I am happy that we believed in ourselves as a team and this has been the major driving force behind the remarkable performance.”
Ngezi sit third with 26 points, two behind leaders CAPS United and one behind Hardrock.
They have won six matches and drawn eight while scoring 19 goals and conceding 12.
The numbers do not scream dominance.
What they show is control, discipline and a side refusing to lose.
Mutiwekuziwa knows the pressure is beginning to change now.
People are no longer speaking about survival.
They are speaking about the title.
“It is a matter of focusing on ourselves and forgetting what is happening with other teams,” he said.
“We knew that eyes would be on us when we started the race so we told our boys that there was no pressure.
“Our mission was just to stay in the top-flight.
“With what had happened in the off-season, ordinarily the youngsters would be under pressure so to ease that, we urged them to just enjoy and ensure that we stayed in the top-flight. It worked.” There is also something familiar about Mutiwekuziwa’s teams.
Even at Herentals, he built competitive sides without noise or big names, guiding them into consistent top-seven finishes and a Chibuku Super Cup final in 2023.
