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Grace Chingoma-Senior Sports Reporter

Yadah ………………………………………… 0

FC Platinum…………………………………. (1) 2

FC PLATINUM coach Norman Mapeza was happy to collect maximum points on his second visit to Harare after beating Yadah in a Castle Lager Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.

The defending champions, who have now risen to third place in the championship race, made amends from their disappointing loss to Herentals at the same venue two weeks ago.

A goal in both halves from Brian Banda and Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya was enough to redeem their campaign yesterday.

Banda gave his side an early goal in the fourth minute. The visitors extended their lead in the 69th minute when Yadah second choice goalie Richard Chiminga spilled the ball and Ngwenya capitalised on that.

The young forward, who had missed another perfect chance in the first half when he agonisingly shot over the bar, finally got his reward.

Yadah keeper Chiminga, who was standing in for the suspended Panashe Nyabunga, made a lot of errors on the afternoon which his coach attributed to rust.

Mapeza said the margin could have been bigger if his players were more clinical.

“Massive result for us.  Yadah were playing good football but at the end of the day, I know how it is all about.

“Second visit to Harare, last time we lost and today (yesterday) we managed to get maximum points and we just need to stay humble and work hard.

“It could have been more. Thando, how many chances did he get? But he is still young and l always give him the benefit of doubt. If we had someone like Perfect (Chikwende) here, maybe he would be sitting on 20 goals now.

“But he is still young and we need to keep pushing him. He is still learning, what is important is we are creating those opportunities. But if we don’t bury them, they might come to haunt us. 

“At the moment we are okay, we are pushing and we are benefiting, sometimes. That goalkeeping error, we benefited. That’s football at the end of the day,” said Mapeza.

Yadah coach Genesis Mangombe said it was a bad day in the office. Yadah had struck some consistency in their previous matches winning against Cranborne Bullets and drawing against Triangle.

“It’s a bad result. As a coach when playing at home you need maximum points but it’s a game of football, you can’t stop those mistakes. If you make them, you are bound to lose despite playing well.

“So we have to go back to the drawing board and correct these silly mistakes. This FC Platinum wasn’t not that invincible. We were marching them but it’s unfortunate that we didn’t create a lot of chances today,” said Mangombe.

Teams

Yadah: R. Chiminga, B. Kadamanja, L. Mucheto, T. Gahadzikwa, T. Shandirwa, C. Mandivei, A. Manenji (R. Matema 73rd minute), F. Binzi (V. Sango 56th minute), C. Denhere (M. Faranando 56th minute), J. Mutembedza (G. Mhangani 56th minute), K. Mangani.

FC Platinum: W. Magalane, L. Mhlanga, G. Bello, W. Stima, K. Mangiza, B. Banda (J. Mtudza 78th minute), B. Moyo (A. Onifade 90th minute), H. Magaya (R. Pavari 59th minute), P. Mtimbanyoka (N. Makumbe 90th minute), W. Musona, T. Ngwenya (I. Mucheneka 90th minute).