HARARE – Ngezi Platinum sacked their coach Tonderai Ndiraya on Tuesday with just five matches to play before the Premier Soccer League season draws to a close.

Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to struggling Bulawayo City, which left the Mhondoro miners five points behind leaders FC Platinum, was the final straw.

Club bosses held a marathon review meeting and decided Ndiraya had to leave immediately, ending his two-and-a-half years spell at the ambitious club.

Cloete Munjoma, the club secretary, said assistant coach Clifton Kadurira and goalkeepers’ coach Gift Muzadzi would guide the club for the remainder of the season.

In a statement, Munjoma said: “Ngezi Platinum Stars FC wishes to announce the departure of coach Tonderai Ndiraya from the team through a mutual separation agreement. The Board and Management of Ngezi Platinum Stars would like to thank Ndiraya for his commitment to the team for the past two-and-a-half years.

“We have no doubt that he will continue to succeed as a young coach and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

Ndiraya had been set a target to win the Premier League, and he appeared on course when they went 13 games unbeaten at the start of the season. They have lost seven times in the subsequent 16 matches, a poor run of form that has given the initiative to Zvishavane side, FC Platinum.

Ngezi have home matches against Chapungu, Bulawayo Chiefs and Black Rhinos, as well as away trips to Harare City and FC Platinum to end their season.

The penultimate match with FC Platinum is likely to be the title decider.