Innocent Kurira
THE dream to win their maiden Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title is edging closer for Ngezi Platinum Stars, who are now two wins away from being crowned champions.
With four games to go, Ngezi just needs six points from a possible 12 to write their own piece of history in local football.
It’s now all in their hands and they can even make this season extra special by claiming a league and cup double provided they go on to beat Dynamos in the Chibuku Super Cup final.
Ngezi Platinum maintained a seven-point lead despite suffering defeat at the hands of Hwange at the weekend.
The platinum miners, who are chasing their first-ever title, dropped points after they failed the Colliery test as they were condemned to a 1-0 defeat in Hwange.
However, the result had little significance on their lead as the chasing pack save for FC Platinum dropped points last weekend, with Highlanders and Dynamos the main culprits.
Highlanders were held to a 1-1 draw by CAPS United at Barbourfields Stadium while Dynamos and Black Rhinos played to a nil-all stalemate at the National Sports Stadium.
FC Platinum overcame Chicken Inn 1-0 at Luveve on Saturday.
Dynamos, Manica Diamonds and FC Platinum are all on 50 points respectively with four games to the end of the season.
After the draw against CAPS United, Highlanders are now in fifth position with 49 points.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza is one of those who still have some belief in a turn of events.
“We are still hoping something will happen as we push to end the season. We never know what will happen. We might finish in second position. We take each game as it comes,” he said.
Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito also wants to see his side finish in a respectable position.
“We had one more draw at home and we are sad (sic) of it because we have a target for ourselves. We want to finish in the best possible position on the log. What we can do now is to prepare to go to Triangle on Thursday against a team that is also fighting for points,” said Brito.
“We are still hoping something will happen as we push to end the season in second position. We take each game as it comes,” he said.
Week 30 saw the biggest win of the season as Yadah hit ZPC Kariba for six. The game saw a hattrick from Junior Zindoga who became the third player to score three goals in one match this season.
Fortune Binzi and Obriel Chirinda have also scored hattricks this year.