The Sunday Mail
Bulawayo City ………………..(0) 0
Ngezi Platinum Stars ……… (0) 1
NGEZI PLATINUM Stars coach Tonderayi Ndiraya hailed Qadr Amini as a quality player after the defender powered his team to a crucial win that saw the miners move to within a point of leaders Dynamos.
After watching a sublime Amini 64th-minute strike knock the stuffing out of a stubborn Bulawayo City in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie at Barbourfields yesterday, Ndiraya said the Mhondoro side had revised its season target.
“Listen, we have shifted our targets, revised them and we are going for the big one now,” he said. “If you look at how things transpired today, I would like to think that we are now firmly in it.
“Six games, 18 points to play for; it’s still a long way to go but we have talked about this with the boys and what we now need is consistency.”
With rivals Chicken having dropped points at Shabanie Mine on Friday, and log leaders Dynamos travelling to Nyamhunga, a venue they have struggled at in the past, Ngezi knew they had a chance to pile on the pressure.
However, Bulawayo City were solid at the back and the visitors struggled to penetrate despite bossing much of the game.
Amini came close on three occasions before he finally rifled home.
“Qadr has done this for us on several occasions this season and we just hope for more of the same. With the league title battle heading towards the business end we need such character and I am glad that he was there to be counted when it mattered most,” said Ndiraya of his star left-back.
The defeat left Bulawayo City firmly in the relegation dog fight and coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu was the first to admit that Ngezi were full value for the three points.
“We lost to a better team but I take pride in that we matched them pound for pound for the larger part of the game. Going forward now, I think clean sheets are of paramount importance. At the very least they will guarantee us a point and with one team already relegated, every point matters,” he said.
