The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Yadah FC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) 1
Ngezi Platinum Stars. . . . . . (0) 0
NGEZI Platinum Stars’ brilliant start to the season was yesterday halted by Premiership newcomers Yadah Stars, who maintained their own fairytale start to the big time.
A brilliant Brian Chikwenya free-kick that curled delightfully into Nelson Chadya’s goal with 14 minutes on the clock was all the hosts needed to halt a three-match winning streak by the visitors at the National Sports Stadium.
Tonderai Ndiraya described it as the worst performance ever by his team while, for the umpteenth time, the hosts coach Jairos Tapera credited victory to team president Prophet Walter Magaya, who is the club’s “heavenly qualified” technical advisor.
“I am very happy for the boys and also I am very happy for my prophet,” said Tapera after the match. “He is a man who has always been with us and all week he was there giving us all the support and I am very happy for him.
“I think with these results we have gotten so far we cannot start dreaming big but for now I think we have to take it game by game.”
A lot was expected from the platinum miners going into the match on the back of three league wins in three outings.
However, they were frustrated by an organised Yadah side who gave them very little room.
On the occasions that Ngezi Platinum managed to breach the Yadah defence, veteran ‘keeper Tafadzwa Dube was on hand to save the day for the Castle Premier Soccer League debutants.
While Tapera praised Ngezi for the fight they put up, Ndiraya said his lads never rose to the occasion.
“I am very disappointed with the way we played and I think this is the worst game we have played,” assessed Ndiraya post-match. “It was a difficult game for us, they defended very deeply and we ran out of ides wherever we got into the final attacking third.”
Teams
Yadah FC: T Dube, Munyaradzi Nyenye, B Chikwenya, J Dzingai, R Dongo, B Mapfumo, D Savanhu, J Sibanda (L Murape), L Mavunga (W Kamudyariwa), M Musiyakuvi, M Demera
Ngezi: N Chadya, N Ketala (C Augusto), D Teguru, T Dzvukamanja, E Tapera (W Mukanga), L Chakoroma, D Mukandi, K Murera, T Mchisa, W Pakamisa, G Murwira (T Mabvura)
