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Tonderai Ndiraya

Tadious Manyepo, Harare Bureau
ZPC Kariba 0-0 Ngezi Platinum Stars

NGEZI Platinum Stars coach, Tonderai Ndiraya, was not happy with his side’s performance as they dropped points for the first time this season in a Castle Lager Premiership match against basement side ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga yesterday.

The Mhondoro miners, who top the log on 23 points, two ahead of second-placed FC Platinum, failed to score for the first time this season.

Ngezi Platinum Stars have battled the same demons in their previous matches but they have somehow managed to work out some incredible winning formula where they strike towards the end of the game.

However, they could not do that against the gritty hosts yesterday.

“I am not impressed with the way we played. It was a below par performance by our standards. To come here and drop points is obviously disappointing,” said Ndiraya.

“We didn’t apply ourselves the way we were supposed to. We lacked the zeal and we were terribly off-colour.

“We failed to weave any meaningful scoring chances and it’s the rule in football that if you fail to create scoring chances you don’t score and if you don’t score you don’t win matches.

“But at the end of the day we did not lose the game. We have now gone for nine matches without defeat, which is a very positive start to the season where most teams are highly competitive. Otherwise, ZPC Kariba also deserve credit for the way they managed to contain us.”

In fact, Ndiraya’s men were lucky to march out of a chilly Nyamhunga with their unbeaten league record still intact as winless ZPC Kariba failed to punish them despite getting some good chances.

Moses Demera missed ZPC Kariba’s best chance when he couldn’t apply the finishing touch with only the ‘keeper to beat after he had shown Ngezi’s Frank Makarati a clean pair of heels nine minutes before the break.

ZPC Kariba coach, Godfrey Tamirepi, was happy with the point but thought his lads should have converted the chances which came their way.
“This is one of those games that you feel you were supposed to win but somehow you wonder why,” he said.

“We played well and practically did everything to win but we couldn’t. We created a number of clear-cut chances but we failed to score.

“You cannot afford to miss good scoring opportunities and expect to win the match especially playing against a team of Ngezi Platinum Stars’ stature who are leading the lot in the Premiership.

“I am not very disappointed though because we played well and managed to suffocate the opponents’ raids and got a point out of the effort.

“It’s disappointing to go for nine matches without a single win but there are a lot of positives to pick from the team and we hope to start winning games soon.”

Teams

ZPC Kariba: T Mawaya, B Zuberi, M Kunyarimwe, S Appiah, I Nekati, T Munyanduri, T Rannthokoane (L Vundla 75th min) P Tafirenyika (C Muleya 85th min), S Makawa (J Gwara 65th min), M Demera, T Chamboko

Ngezi Platinum Stars: D Bernard, K Murera, L Chakoroma, K Bulaji, W Mukanga (J Nguluve 75th min), T Dzvukamanja, C Agusto (S Owusu 81st min), T Mabvura, M Mushonga, F Makarati, T Chipunza