The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
Chicken Inn………………………. (1) 1
How Mine………………………………. 0
A 10-man Chicken Inn conjured a fifth win of the season in a dull Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match against city rivals How Mine at Luveve Stadium yesterday. A first half header from Tafadzwa Kutinyu assured the Gamecocks of three points, taking their tally to 15, enough to see them go top of the log standings. Chicken Inn finished one player less when skipper Danny Phiri was sent off by impressive referee Hardly Ndazi with 11 minutes of play left for a second bookable offence.
The match started off at a slow pace with none of the two teams having clear chances of scoring.
Bhekimpilo Ncube, put through on the edge of the box by Mitchelle Katsvairo with 23 minutes played, was slow to react. Three minutes later, Katsvairo provided Ncube with yet another opportunity to score only for the latter to allow the How Mine goalkeeper Donovan Bernard to intervene.
The goal that made the difference came in the 29th minute thanks to the Kutinyu header off a brilliantly taken free kick by Passmore Bernard from outside the box.
The lanky Kutinyu could have made it two just before the break, but his superb left footer rattled the crossbar, with the match official signalling for a corner for the Gamecocks.
Chicken Inn continued to dominate proceedings in the second half, coming close to finding their second goal six minutes after the break. Katsvairo again turned provider, this time around putting through Edmore Chirambadare who took time to shoot at goal, allowing Bernard to get his hands on the ball.
How Mine coach Luke Masomere made two changes in the 62nd minute, replacing Benjamin Marere and Charles Sibanda with Heritein Masuku and Mgcini Sibanda, but their introduction failed to make any difference.
Chicken Inn captain Phiri made the lone walk of shame into the changing room in the 79th minute when referee Ndazi showed no mercy following a punishable infringement.
The red card forced the Gamecocks coach Joey Antipas to make three substitutions in quick succession. In came Thabani Goredema for Chirambadare, Brian Juru for Clemence Matawu and Mkhokheli Dube made his way into the field for Katsvairo.
Limited Chikafa could have found the equaliser for How Mine only to guide his header straight into the hands of Chicken Inn goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze with two minutes to play.
Masomere conceded that they did not play well but remained optimistic that the results will come their way during the course of the season.
Antipas, despite the fine run so far emphasised the need to remain focused without being carried away.
Teams
Chicken Inn: Elvis Chipezeze, Moses Jackson, Bhekimpilo Ncube, Devine Lunga, Danny Phiri, Mitchelle Katsvairo (Dube 90 minutes), Passmore Bernard, Edmore Chirambadare (Goredema 80 minutes), Tafadzwa Kutinyu, Lawrence Mhlanga, Clemence Matawu (Juru 86 minutes)
How Mine: Donovan Bernard, Tapiwa Kumbuyani, Moses Gutu, Menard Mupera, Nelson Tachi, Nyasha Mukumbi, Benjamin Marere (H Masuku 62 minutes), Charles Sibanda (M Sibanda 62 minutes), Kudakwashe Musharu, Limited Chikafa, Wonder Sithole.
