HARARE – Ngezi Platinum on Tuesday announced that their coach Erol Akbay and his assistant Tendai Chikuni had left the club by mutual consent.

Club president Stanley Segula announced Akbay’s exit in a statement.

The decision came after the ambitious club lost 1-0 away to TelOne last Saturday.

Out-of-work Norman Mapeza, who quit champions FC Platinum last week, is now the favourite to take up the post.

Belgian Akbay was previously coach of Highlanders before he was unveiled as Ngezi boss in December last year, replacing Tonderayi Ndiraya.

Ngezi have as their main target a league title, which Ndiraya failed to deliver in two seasons.

Akbay leaves Ngezi eight points behind leaders ZPC Kariba with 11 matches to play this season.

Segula said Ngezi “remains committed to its season targets and replacements would be announced in due course.”