Premier Soccer League debutants Ngezi Platinum Stars bring their Chibuku Super Cup juggernaut to Barbourfields Stadium for a potentially explosive semi-final match-up against title-chasing Highlanders in the country’s biggest knockout cup tournament this afternoon.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE/FORTUNE MBELE
Despite having already outdone themselves by reaching the penultimate stage, Ngezi Platinum refuse to be content until they lay their hands on the ultimate prize.
By far the highest scorers in the tournament so far after dispatching Hwange and Tsholotsho 3-1 and 4-1 in the first round and quarter-finals respectively, Ngezi are genuine contenders for the coveted trophy, but face their biggest test against Bosso.
Ngezi Platinum coach Tonderai Ndiraya told Standardsport that they can only be happy if they emerge champions, but first they had to make it to the final.
“We want to do well in this Cup. We are not satisfied until we have won the Cup so we keep wanting to do more. We are very happy that we are still in the tournament. Now we want to get to the final,” he said.
Their opponents today have been in red-hot form in the league, putting together a run of seven successive wins to climb up to second place in the race for the league championship.
But Ndiraya and his band of merry men are not intimidated.
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“Their league form may give them confidence, but you know a Cup game is a different match altogether. This is a match between two teams that have done well in the Chibuku Super Cup and we have confidence. It’s a fact that we have scored the most number of goals in the tournament, so they can underrate us at their own peril,” Ndiraya added.
Ngezi Platinum makes the trip to Bulawayo without the injured pair of Tichaona Mamvura (fractured arm) and Chris Mverechena (knee).
Highlanders on the other hand, say they will not be banking on current form and a double win over Ngezi in the league ahead of today’s semifinal.
“Football matches are not like movies where the script is always the same. In football, the script changes in every game. You can play this week and find things are different next week against the same team. It is not going to be easy playing Ngezi. It is a different game altogether, but we are preparing hard and in every game we want to come up with positive results,” Bosso technical adviser Cosmas Zulu said.
Bosso beat Mutare City Rovers 2-1 in the first round of the Chibuku tournament before edging out How Mine 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals.
