CHAMPIONS Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi is confident his boys can complete a double ahead of their clash with Dynamos in the Chibuku Super Cup in the final at Baobab Stadium on Sunday.
It was all pomp and fanfare at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday when Ngezi Platinum Stars were handed the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League trophy, an event that followed their last league game against Highlanders, which they lost 1-0.
Madamburo won the league with two games remaining and beat already relegated Craneborne Bullets 3-1 in the penultimate match before losing the last to Highlanders on Sunday.
Chiragwi, who clinched Ngezi’s maiden league title on Sunday, said his boys know what to do come Sunday.
“My players don’t need to be psyched up (for the final). They are at work; they know. The reasons for us to be champions are because they know that they need to play and win games,” he said.
“It is a competition and now we face the final, which is our most important prize. We need to finish on a high note and we need to shift focus. Today’s game is over and you cannot cry for what you cannot get.
“We need to focus on the next game which is the Chibuku final. The boys have been doing this throughout the season, there is nothing new, we believe in them and they are very professional.”
It has been a good hunting season for the Mhondoro-based club, who also have an advantage playing Dynamos in front of their home crowd at Baobab in the Chibuku Super Cup.
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It is their fourth time playing in the final of the country’s major trophy after the league title and are primed to win the Chibuku Super Cup for the second time after beating FC Platinum in the final in 2016 under coach Tonderai Ndiraya, now at Simba Bhora.
They have previously lost it to FC Platinum on a penalty shootout in 2021 also at Baobab and to Highlanders at BF in 2019 with Rodwell Dhlakama in charge.
Ngezi Platinum have able players in the country’s top goalscorer Takunda Benhura, who has banged in 13 goals in the league, Claude Mapoka, who had a brilliant afternoon against Highlanders on Sunday, coming in from the bench.
Tinotenda Murasiranwa also had a decent afternoon with skipper Qadr Amini and the evergreen Malvin Gaki.
Dynamos are also looking forward to winning the Chibuku Super Cup as their trophy cabinet has been gathering dust over the years.
They missed out on the runners-up position after losing their last game to Yadah, which picked three crucial points to escape relegation.
