Ngezi extend lead

Kariba ..................... 0 Ngezi Platinum Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 3

NGEZI Platinum Stars are not leaving anything to chance in their quest for a maiden Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title.

Yesterday, they defied the searing Kariba heat to open a four-point lead at the summit of the log standings.

Ngezi also ended ZPC Kariba coach Luke Masomere’s six-match unbeaten run at Nyamhunga Stadium.

A first-half brace by Takunda Benhura and a second-half strike by Delic Murimba ensured the miners continue to set the pace for another week.

Ngezi might be enjoying their stay at the top but their young coach Takesure Chiragwi refuses to entertain talk of potentially lifting the title.

“We are playing in a competition and what is important is not the title you are asking about. We have never said that we are playing to win the championship this season.

“Instead, we have said that we are playing to do better than we did last season,” Chiragwi said.

“We have 10 matches remaining; that is 30 points at stake, and it is a long way for us, so we continue to take each game as it comes.”

Masomere praised his opponents, describing them as a complete team.

“Despite us having a depleted side, Ngezi Platinum Stars are a complete side with so much depth, and credit goes to them for collecting all the three points.

“They deserve to be where they are,” he said. It was Masomere’s first home defeat since ending his long hibernation from the Premiership at the end of June.

“It is painful to lose a match at home, especially when you are fighting relegation, but losing to a better team like Ngezi is not so worrying.

“But definitely what I can tell you is that we are not going to be relegated.”

Both sides put up a lacklustre performance but Ngezi benefitted from being more clinical.

After surviving an early scare, they were quick to reorganise themselves and seize control.

And, in the 11th minute, Benhura thrust them into the lead by tapping in a Qadr Amini corner-kick.

ZPC Kariba could have levelled matters in the 26th minute, when Samuel Makawa laid a through pass to Kudzai Dhemere, but the former Dynamos man skied his effort.

Despite the first half producing two goals, it was not from the best performance one would get from either side.

There was more intensity from the two sides in the second period, with ZPC Kariba enjoying the dominance in the opening stages of that stanza. But it was as good as over as a contest in the 56th minute, when Murimba made it 3-0 after latching onto the ball in a goalmouth melee.