HWANGE are primed to throw spanners in title-chasing Ngezi Platinum Stars’ works when the two teams clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the Colliery Stadium tomorrow. Coach Nation Dube says they will not show too much respect to the log leaders as their target is to win all their remaining games to survive relegation.
Ngezi Platinum Stars are serious with their intention of lifting their maiden league silverware and are reported to have arrived in Matabeleland North province on Wednesday. They are holed up in the resort city of Victoria Falls, probably to acclimatise with the extremely hot weather in that region.
Dube was bullish and did not mince his words ahead of the explosive tie, which is a potential banana skin for Ngezi Platinum Stars. Manica Diamonds, Dynamos and Highlanders are praying for Ngezi slip-ups in the final five rounds of matches.
“Our preparations so far are good; no complaints and we go into our last training session this afternoon (yesterday). We are not under any pressure at all. It looks like it’s them who are under pressure. They have been here since Wednesday,” Dube said.
“We are not going to give them any respect. They are not invincible. We have played teams that play better in the league but its unfortunate that they lose. We are ready for Ngezi and they should come and we finish this.”
Hwange lost their last four matches to Caps United, Triangle, Manica Diamonds and Hwange and are on position nine on the table with 37 points, in danger of the dreaded chop. Dube said they have to win their remaining matches to make sure that his side is safe.
“We must get all the points to survive. We don’t want to be looking at how other teams are playing and depending on permutations. We want to do away with calculators,” he said.
They are home tomorrow and then make the long trip to play ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga during the midweek. But Ngezi Platinum invade the Colliery cauldron well informed of what to expect.
Madamburo are sitting on a seven-point cushion ahead of second-placed Manica Diamonds, who beat Dynamos in a re-arranged fixture at Gibbo on Wednesday. As the league gets into the home stretch, it’s no time to falter for the teams at the top. Ngezi Platinum will have another tough one on Wednesday when they host relegation-fighting Sheasham at Bata.
Source Newsday
