A late penalty by Kudzai Chigwida earned Ngezi Platinum a 1-0 win over title rivals, Manica Diamonds in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Baobab Stadium Saturday.
With the win, Ngezi Platinum went top of the Premiership standings for at least 24 hours as they are a point above Highlanders who face Dynamos at Barbourfields tomorrow.
Highlanders must win if they are to reclaim pole position as they have an inferior goal difference in case of a stalemate against Dynamos.
Manica Diamonds defender, Lawrence Masibhera was adjudged to have handled inside the box in the 79th minute of a tightly contested match pitting teams that started the day second and third.
Ngezi Platinum bounced back from last weekend’s 2-1 loss against Herentals College.
At Mandava, champions FC Platinum beat CAPS United 2-1 to keep alive their hopes of retaining the title while Herentals’ unbeaten run came to an end as they lost 1-0 at ZPC Kariba who eased their relegation woes.
In a battle for Luveve Stadium bragging rights, Chicken Inn and Bulawayo Chiefs shared the spoils after a 1-1 stalemate.
The two goals that were scored came on either side of the break Xolani Ndlovu putting the Gamecocks ahead earlier on in the first half before substitute, Billy Veremu cancelled Chicken Inn’s lead with a few minutes of regulation time left.
The Gamecocks’ skipper Ndlovu scored the opening goal of the match in the 15th minute of the game while Veremu’s equaliser came in the 88th minute.
WEEK 22 RESULTS
Saturday 9 September 2023
Black Rhinos 1-1 Triangle
Chicken Inn 1-1 Bulawayo Chiefs
FC Platinum 2-1 Caps United
Greenfuel 1-0 Sheasham
Ngezi Platinum 1-0 Manica Diamonds
ZPC Kariba 1-0 Herentals
Playing Sunday
Dynamos v Highlanders
Hwange v Simba Bhora
Yadah v Cranborne Bullets
Latest Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | PTS | |
| NGEZI PLATINUM | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 28 | 15 | 42 |
| HIGHLANDERS | 21 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 41 |
| MANICA DIAMONDS | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 28 | 13 | 39 |
| DYNAMOS | 21 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 25 | 8 | 36 |
| CHICKEN INN | 22 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 22 | 15 | 36 |
| FC PLATINUM | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 34 |
| HERENTALS COLLEGE | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 21 | 32 |
| GREEN FUEL | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 18 | 20 | 29 |
| ZPC KARIBA | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 24 | 27 |
| CAPS UNITED | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 18 | 26 |
| BULAWAYO CHIEFS | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 26 |
| HWANGE | 21 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 24 |
| TRIANGLE | 22 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 23 | 24 |
| SHEASHAM | 22 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 23 |
| SIMBA BHORA | 21 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 17 | 22 |
| YADAH | 21 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 16 | 29 | 21 |
| CRANBORNE BULLETS | 21 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 19 | 18 |
| BLACK RHINOS | 22 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 17 |