NGEZI PLATINUM STARS . . . (1) 1
CHICKEN INN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
NGEZI Platinum Stars edged closer to their first ever premier league title with a massive victory over Chicken Inn at Baobab Stadium yesterday to move eight points clear at the top of the log table.
The Mhondoro side profited from a slip-up by FC Platinum who lost 2-1 away in Kariba yesterday as they opened a healthy lead with seven rounds of matches remaining.
A Marlvin Gaki breakaway goal just after the half-hour secured the huge victory, which moved the Takesure Chiragwi side to 54 points ahead of their midweek clash against Dynamos.
Chiragwi was excited by the win giving credit to his players who he said executed the game plan perfectly.
"We are happy because the boys showed good character after losing the last game at FC Platinum last week. This is a very good team, which has the ability to bounce back. We created several chances today, unfortunately we could not manage to score. We now have to shift the focus because we have an important game against Dynamos on Wednesday, which is more important for us," Chiragwi said.
Chicken Inn dropped a rung down to seventh place on the log table with 40 points following yesterday's setback, a defeat coach Prince Matore blamed on sloppiness from his charges.
"We slept on duty," Matore said.
"It was a lucky goal for them, but that is football for you. If you sleep, you get punished. My strikers were going into good areas but were not clinical. They need to be more clinical. What we need to do is to keep focus and prepare for the next game."
Matore was probably not happy with how his team had turned over possession from a position of attack into conceding a goal at the other end in a matter of seconds.
From a Chicken Inn corner kick, the home side stole possession through Delic Murimba who ran half the length of the field with the ball before releasing Gareth Madhake.
The former Black Rhinos defender cleverly set up Gaki, who hit the back of the net.
The goal merited Ngezi Platinum Stars' early dominance of the game, having already missed two good chances through Bruno Mtigo and Qadr Amini from a freekick.
Chicken Inn's best chance earlier on fell to the hard running Brian Muza whose shot brought the best out of Nelson Chadya.
Things almost got even better for the hosts minutes before the halftime break, but a crossbar saved the visitors from going further behind.
At the other end, Chicken Inn had a shout for a penalty, which was waved away by the referee as the first half finished frantically.
Chicken Inn looked to hit back right from the restart with Michael Charamba's shot tipped over by an alert Chadya.
Despite the visitors throwing men forward in search of the equaliser late on, the home side defended well and should have killed off the match in injury time, but goalkeeper Benard Donovan did well to save a long range shot.
Teams
Ngezi Platinum Stars: N Chadya, K Chigwida, P Moyo, G Madhake, M Mukumba, F Madhanaga, Q Amini (M Kwinjo, 80'), C Mapoka, M Gaki (L Kashitigu, 63'), B Mtigo (E Mweha, 80', D Murimba (T Mandinyenya, 80').
Chicken Inn: D Benard, M Hwata (B Ncube, 75'), M Charamba, M Bhebhe, R Hachiro, N Ketala, T Kutinyu (T Chibunyu, 82'), D Jaricha, C Dzingai (I Mabhunu, 82') G Majika (O Malajila, 75'), B Muza