The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
Bulawayo City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(0) 1
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) 2
CHICKEN Inn did not give Bulawayo City any respite in their relegation fight beating their city neighbours in a lukewarm Castle Lager Premier Soccer League played at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
Amakhosi succumbed to two goals on either side of the break from Nicole Mutatiwa and Darryl Nyandoro while they got their face-saver from Toto Banda.
City remain rooted at the bottom of the log with 15 points and now look certain to go back to Division One at the end of the season, although coach, Bekithemba Ndlovu put on a brave face saying there is still a chance to survive.
Chicken Inn scored their opener in the 18th minute when Innocent Mucheneka released a powerful shot, 23 metres from goal, which was punched away by City’s goalkeeper, Kelvin Nyoni onto the path of an advancing Mutatiwa who netted in his first goal for the Gamecocks.
Substitutes, Wellington Kamudyariwa and Darryl Nyandoro combined for Chicken Inn’s second goal, five minutes from full-time, with the former taking a corner kick that the latter headed it in, to ensure the Gamecocks return to winning ways after falling to Caps United during a midweek encounter.
Timothy January won possession just outside the centre circle before exchanging passes with Banda, who drew one back for City with three minutes into added time.
City last collected a point when they drew with Harare City on 14 August and been on a losing spree for the past eight games.
Super, as Ndlovu is fondly known in football circles, was however, upbeat saying his team played well but lacked the final touch but added the continued losses were a real concern.
“It was a good game for the spectators who came to watch because I think both sides played well but unfortunately we lost despite bringing in a lot of effort. I am happy we managed to scored albeit for a losing cause as we have been struggling to find the back of the nets.
“We are obviously worried about the losses considering the games are getting fewer and fewer but we still believe we are in the PSL and we will take the fight to game 34,” he said.
Chicken Inn gaffer, Joey Antipas was delighted with the win coming back on the defeat against Caps.
He said it was important to quickly bounce back after the midweek defeat and boost their confidence going ahead.
“The win brings back the much needed confidence as we fight on in the remaining seven games, we will try to collect maximum points from each game and see what happens at the end of the season,” he said.
Teams
Bulawayo City: K Nyoni, T Banda, T January, T Ndlovu (Mhindirira 46 mins), H Ncube, N Ndlovu (Ncube 67 mins), Z Sibanda, B Phiri, I Kutsanzira (Nyathi 47 mins), C Ncube, T Tavengwa
Chicken Inn: S Mafukidze, P Madhazi, B Nyahunzwi, G Majika ( Muchadeyi, 90+1 mins), M Jackson, J Nyabinde, O Chirinda, I Mucheneka, N Mutatiwa, C Matawu (Kamudyariwa 67 mins), L Sithole
