Chicken Inn shot down

Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Reporter
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) 1
Yadah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2

HIGH flying Chicken Inn had their fine run stopped when they were beaten by a supercharged Yadah in a pulsating Castle Lager Premier League match played at Hartsfield Rugby Ground yesterday.

The Gamecocks, who had gone nine matches without tasting defeat were handed one by the unlikeliest of opponents in the form of Yadah, a team fifth from bottom. Chicken Inn coach, Rahman Gumbo described the defeat as a wake-up call for his players because they had spoken about it in their team talk before the start of the match.

The handful of fans that had come to watch the match were already anticipating an avalanche of goals from the 2015 champions but Yadah refused to be intimidated by their more illustrious opponents and their perseverance paid when their Jimmy Dzingai rose high to head in a free kick by Wellington Kamudyariwa past a rooted Elvis Chipezeze in goals for the home side.

In the 12th minute gangling striker Darryl Nyandoro almost restored the Gamecocks’ lead but his shot on the edge of the 18 yard box was parried back into play by the visitors’ goalie Samuel Mafukidze and left back Divine Lunga who had overlapped and missed the upright by a whisker.

In the 29th minute, Chicken Inn skipper, Moses Jackson was shown a yellow card by Masvingo-based referee Jimmy Makwana after he lunged at Johannes Sibanda’s head in a tussle for a high ball. Jackson will miss Chicken Inn’s next league encounter as he has accumulated three yellow cards which warrant a suspension.

In the 78th minute the visitors were rewarded for their industriousness when Morris Musiyakuvi roasted defender Ben Nyahunzvi who was standing as the last men and passed the ball to a well positioned Moses Demera whose shot hit against the upright and fall kindly to Musiyakuvi who riffled the ball at the back of the net.

Teams
Chicken Inn : E Chipezeze, P Bernard, D Lunga, M Jackson, B Nyahunzwi, C Matawu, O Tarumbwa (C Dhuwa 82 mins), C Samarekwi (Gurure 71 mins), D Nyandoro (Kadyaridzire 56 mins), I Mucheneka, T Goredema

Yadah : S Mafukidze, W Kalongoda, B Chikwinya, J Dzingai, D Dauda, B Mapfumo, W Kamudyarirwa, B Madzokere (Makopa 51 mins), M Musiyakuvi, J Sibanda (Demera 65 mins), M Nyenye — @DNsingo