The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
Ngezi Platinum Stars . . . . . . .1
Herentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
(Herentals progress 4-3 on penalties)
SENIOR Ngezi Platinum Stars players chickened out of taking penalties as the miners were sent tumbling out of the Chibuku Super Cup at the Baobab yesterday.
This is the second time in a row that Madamburo have bowed out of the competition in the first round and their coach Tonderai Ndiraya felt let down by some of his main men.
Polite Moyo, Malon Mushonga and Frank Makarati declined to take the penalties, leaving Ndiraya fuming.
“I am disappointed with my senior players who refused to take penalties at the last minute after we spent the whole week training on them.
“We are out of the Chibuku Super Cup in the first round for the second time running and it’s very disappointing. We now have to concentrate on the league,” said Ndiraya.
The Ngezi Platinum Stars coach was also not amused by the visitors’ delaying tactics as well as the way referee Thomas Mhasa handled the match.
On the flip side, Herentals gaffer Tonderai Mutiwekuziva praised his charges for frustrating their more fancied opponents.
“The delaying tactics are part of the game. We practiced penalties for the better part of the week and we were confident of winning the match on penalties, hence we played for penalties,” he said.
For Ngezi Platinum Stars, Liberty Chakoroma, Keith Murera and Donald Teguru converted their spot kicks while Godknows Murwira and Tatenda Mchisa missed.
Herentals converted their spot kicks through Blessing and Brighton Majarira as well as the pair of Peter Chota and Gibsion Chinobva.
But Ngezi should have won this having taken a third minute lead through Donald Teguru who tapped in a Tichaona Mabvura cross.
After getting off to the perfect start, Ndiraya’s men went on to miss a number of chances before Herentals restored parity from the penalty spot on 27 minutes.
Keith Murera handled inside the box and Richard Hachiro made no mistake from the spot.
Substitute Archimore Majarira had a golden opportunity to put the visitors ahead five minutes after his introduction but shot wide.
Murwira then came to the rescue of the hosts when he cleared a Blessing Majarira effort from the line with 13 minutes to go.
Teams
Ngezi Platinum Stars: B Donovan, G Murwira, P Moyo, T Mchisa,M Mushonga, L Chakoroma, K Murera, C Augusto ( J Nguluve 75) , D Teguru, T Mabvura ( M Charamba 75’) , F Makarati
Herentals: F Kuchineyi, A Majarira ( T Benza 60’),C Mavhurume, E Feremba ( B Majarira 52’) , W Chimbetu, G Chinobva, I Benza (S Cheya 77’) , B Maunganidze, R Hachiro, P Chaota, B Majarira
