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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . 0
Ngezi Platinum Stars . . .(1) 1
Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Tonderayi Ndiraya had no regrets after his championship chasing side upset his former team Dynamos and pushed them further down the drain in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Rufaro yesterday.

The platinum miners had not beaten DeMbare in an away match since 2016 when they were promoted into the top-flight league and they claimed their first win against the fading Harare giants after taking advantage of a defensive slip up from a corner taken by Michael Charamba.

Kelvin Bulaji scored the solitary goal on the stroke of half-time as Ngezi closed in on log leaders FC Platinum in the championship race by reducing the points gap at the top of the table to only two points.

Bulaji, one of the five former Dynamos players who started for Ngezi yesterday, reacted fast and beat goalkeeper Simbarashe Chinani to the near post.

Dynamos, who have not won a match since the resumption of the league, continued to lose ground after they dropped three places on the log standings into 13th place.

Ngezi Platinum’s win took their tally to 44 points, two behind leaders FC Platinum who had stumbled on Saturday in a goalless home draw against CAPS United at Mandava.

But Ndiraya was still not entirely pleased by his team’s performance after the miners put on a lukewarm performance.
“Obviously I’m satisfied, but I am not really happy with the way we played today. There was no fluidity which we are always known for.

“So, yes, I am happy we had to grind the result but the performance was not so good today. I think what is important at the end of the day is the three points.

“Above all, I am happy that we have managed to cover some ground in terms of reducing the points gap between us and the log leaders. I was pleased with the way our boys fought for a result and obviously this result has taken us somewhere,” said Ndiraya.

Ngezi first had the ball on the back of the nets soon after kick-off, but the referee Lazarus Dirwai correctly ruled that striker Steven Owusu was in an offside position when he headed the ball home inside the box.

Dynamos goalkeeper Simbarashe Chinani made a brilliant save nine minutes into the game when he punched out a deflected shot from Godknows Murwira for a corner after the home side’s defenders had failed to deal with a free-kick from the right flank.

Afterwards there wasn’t much action at both ends of goal.
Dynamos got a few scoring chances from set-pieces, but they lacked precision.

But Ngezi’s Murwira came close with a long-range shot from their own free-kick which forced a top drawer save from DeMbare goalkeeper Chinani.

However, there was nothing the goalkeeper could do from the resultant corner taken by Charamba after Bulaji raced to meet the ball with his head before the DeMbare defenders could move inside the box.

Bulaji’s goal pushed Dynamos towards the relegation cut-off point after Herentals, Yadah and Bulawayo Chiefs collected maximum points at the weekend to leapfrog the giants. DeMbare slipped three places down into 13th place with 22 points, three above the drop zone.

And as they continued to sink, Ndiraya said although he was born and bred at Dynamos, he had no regrets about his struggling former team as he was obliged to help Ngezi Platinum achieve their set objectives.

DeMbare coach Lloyd Mutasa yesterday said the Harare giants deserved a point but were punished after they failed to defend from a late first half corner kick.

“I think they won a match, it was their first against us here in Harare but I am sure they did not get it on a silver platter.
“I think we conceded what I thought was a simple goal from a corner kick. It was at head level and we never attacked the ball. We allowed the opposition to take it home,” said Mutasa.

Teams
Dynamos: S. Chinani, P. Dube, P. Makaha, M. Machazane (J. Tigere, 68th minute), G. Mukambi, B. Moyo, G. Saunyama, C. Kapupurika (T. Macheke, 72nd minute), E. Mandiranga, M. Mukumba, V. Kadonzvo (P. Mtasa, 68th minute).
Ngezi Platinum: N. Chadya, T. Chipunza, M. Mushonga, L. Chakoroma, K. Bulaji, F. Makarati, W. Mukanga (X. Moyo, 76th minute), M. Charamba (J. Nguluve, 90th minute), G. Murwira, T. Mabvura, S. Owusu (C. Augusto, 67th minute).