Ngezi Platinum Stars secured their inaugural trophy of the season by clinching the Castle Challenge Cup with a victory over Dynamos at Baobab Stadium on Saturday, February 24th.

The Castle Challenge Cup tradition involves a face-off between the previous season’s Premier Soccer League champion and the winner of the Chibuku Super Cup.

Claude Mapoka broke the deadlock for Ngezi Platinum Stars five minutes before halftime, while Ellson Mweha, who came on as a substitute in the second half, sealed the win with a powerful shot finding the back of the net 20 minutes before the final whistle.

Takesure Chiragwi, the head coach of Ngezi Platinum Stars, expressed his elation after the match, highlighting how the victory serves as a morale boost for his team heading into the 2024 PSL season. He emphasized the significance of confidence in a team’s performance, stating, “Winning a trophy and adding it to our collection is a dream come true for every player and coach. Victories like this instill confidence, which is crucial as we prepare for the upcoming season. Sustaining a winning mentality is vital for champions.”

On the other hand, Genesis Mangombe, the coach of Dynamos, admitted that his team conceded preventable goals and emphasized the need to rectify such errors before the start of the new season. He remarked, “In professional football, we cannot afford to make these kinds of mistakes. It’s imperative that we learn from them and work on addressing these issues before the new season commences. Soft and avoidable goals cost us the match.”