The Sunday News
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Harare City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
NEW acquisition Vincent Moyo’s header secured three points for Chicken Inn in what was a drab Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
The central defender who was acquired from Bulawayo City in the mid-season transfer window found the back of the net with just eight minutes to full-time. Before yesterday’s win, third placed Chicken Inn had lost 3-0 to Dynamos at home and played out a goalless draw with ZPC Kariba away.
Moyo headed home from close range a Brian Muza cross delivered from the right. Prior to that moment, there had been nothing to write home about except a Muza chance which came with just six minutes on the clock.
This was after a neat interchange of short passes that involved Denzel Khumalo and Clive Dzingai who sent Muza on goal but the striker could not beat Kelvin Shangiwa in goal for Harare City from close range.
Between that moment and the time the goal finally came there was nothing to write home to about.
Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas conceded that his team did not play well but was happy to get the three points.
“It was very important to win this game, we needed it. It’s three points in the bag and we look forward to the next game. This is a game that could turn our fortunes around,” said Antipas.
His opposite number Taurai Mangwiro felt they deserved to get something out of the game.
“I thought both sides were cancelling each other out of the game. I thought we deserved something out of the game,” said Mangwiro.
Muza tried his luck from a distance with 11 minutes played but his effort went way over the bar.
With 28 minutes on the clock, Chicken Inn got a free-kick in a promising position just outside the box.
George Majika stood behind the ball, instead he tried to make a short pass to Passmore Bernard who had made a brilliant short run on the right, but the former put too much power on the ball.
The visitors’ best chance in the first stanza came after 35 minutes, this was after Nielson Ketala had hacked down Obert Tafira just outside the box. Timothy January took responsibility and sent his effort over the cross bar.
Seven minutes after the break Antipas made a double substitution as he looked to turn things around.
Bret Amidu and Malvin Whata came on for Denzel Khumalo and Clive Augusto respectively.
There was little difference in the play but the hosts would be happy to have walked away with maximum points.
Teams
Chicken Inn: B Donovan, P Bernard, Dzingai (Hachiro 87 mins), N Katala, V Moyo, S Mhlanga, G Majika (Pini 74 mins), X Ndlovu, D Khumalo (Amidu 53 mins) , C Augusto ( Whata 53 mins), B Muza
Harare City: K Shangiwa, H Chapusha, D Dzvinyai, E Ziocha (Zinyama 69 mins), T Mugoniwa (Masukuta 69 mins), D Mudadi, D Masukuta, Overt Tafira (Mukutairi 76 mins), Z Bizeki, T Mukono, T January
— @innocentskizoe
