Gunners cut FC Platinum to size

Sport
BY ALBERT MARUFUGunners...(1) 2FC Platinum....(1) 1

CASTLE Lager premiership title aspirants FC Platinum suffered an energy sapping defeat after allowing youthful Gunners to come from behind to beat them at Lafarge yesterday.

Striker Donald Ngoma had thrust FC Platinum in the lead 11 minutes into the match but Michelle Katsvairo sliced in Ali Sadiki’s cross from the right to level the score in the 40th minute. Gunners’ Cliff Sekete then stole the match for his side with a scorcher in the 68th minute from just outside the box for the flag-waving Dynamos supporters to erupt into a frenzy and breaking into Alick Macheso’s “Zora Butter” dance.

Some started singing “happy birthday to you” for Gunners coach Moses Chunga who turns 46 tomorrow.

Gunners’ win saw them moving into position four having accrued 41 points with four games to go.

Despite the loss, FC Platinum remained static on pole position with 49 points, four ahead of second-placed Dynamos who hosts Highlanders at Rufaro today.

Third-placed defending champions Motor Action who trail the log leaders by six points will be at Maglas this afternoon hoping to also close the gap.A win for Dynamos over Bosso will see them reducing the gap to a single point with four rounds still to be played for.

Gunners coach Moses Chunga, said his players have presented him with an early birthday present.

“I guess it could be an early birthday present. The boys were really fantastic.  We did not panic after conceding that goal. I told them to maintain the pace, as the Platinum guys are very strong. We hope to improve with the coming matches,” Chunga said.

FC Platinum assistant coach Tendai Chikuni refused to throw in the towel on the championship.

“We have lost the game, but we need to focus on the next game. Today we lost because of lack of concentration. We conceded very simple goals and that borders on complacency. How can defenders leave a player unmarked inside the box,” he said.

FC Platinum started the match being the more offensive side with Ngoma being a thorn in the flesh of captain Pardon Chinungwa, Hardlife Zvirekwi and Byron Madzokere.

The visitors could have got the lead in the nineth minute had it not been for the timely intervention of Chinungwa who blocked Simon Njeleza’s effort.Two minutes later they however found the mark through Ngoma who did justice to a Njeleza’s pass after beating goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba who blocked his first attempt but not the second.

Barely five minutes later Ngoma could have doubled the score, but Chigumba was at his best.

However, Gunners were to find the equaliser through Katsvairo who sliced in a Sadiki cross from the right to lift up the spirits of the youthful side.The second half saw FC Platinum being the more dominant side, but their strikers, led by Ngoma and Benjamin Marere were a huge letdown as they took turns to either shoot wide of goal or find Chigumba at his best.

With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Sekete produced a scorcher from outside the box that gave goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube no chance in the 68th minute.

Dube, however was lucky to escape with just a yellow card from referee Pedzisayi Chadya after he pushed Lloyd Masakusi to the ground in an off the ball incidents with eight minutes remaining on the clock.