The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
Chicken Inn ……….(2) 2
Chapungu …………..(0) 1CHICKEN Inn coach Joey Antipas was a relieved man when his charges overcame Chapungu in a pulsating Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Luveve Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Goals from Bhekimpilo Ncube in the fourth minute and Thabani Goredema three minutes before the interval were enough to lift the pressure off Antipas’ shoulders, who had gone for two consecutive loses while Chapungu got their consolation goal from Calisto Maheya in the 64th minute.
The two teams were on even keel in the first period but the early goal from Ncube appeared to have unsettled the visitors, who though, came back with their guns blazing in the second half.
Chicken Inn received a free kick that was taken by John Bernard and the ball found Ncube, inside the box, who slotted home with a powerful header for the home side’s opener.
Action swung from one end to the other as play progressed but it was the Gamecocks who managed to increase their tally against the run of play when Goredema outpaced his opponents, latched on to a Tendai Mukambi pass, before shooting past Roy Mazingi, in goals for Chapungu.
The airmen returned a rejuvenated side in the second half and threw all they had at Chicken Inn, and they got their just rewards in the 64th minute. Maheya’s effort was spilled by Elvis Chipezeze in goals for the home side and an alert Gift Phiri was at hand to tap the ball back to Maheya who made no mistake from the second bite of the cherry.
Antipas, who replaced Liberty Chirava with Chipezeze in the starting line-up, said the win took the heat off considering that his side was coming from a defeat.
“It was a game of two halves and we dominated in the first half but Chapungu played better in the second half and in the last 20 minutes they piled on the pressure but we managed to weather it,” Antipas said.
Chapungu gaffer, John Nyikadzano, in what has become characteristic in almost any other game, blamed poor officiating saying the referee Nkosana Nduna was lenient on the hosts and did not blow the whistle when his players were fouled.
“We suffered an early goal that set us back. While I do not usually like talking about referees, we experienced biased officiating today. There were tackles on our players that were clear fouls but the referee ignored but was quick to rule in Chicken Inn’s favour,” he said, adding that with such poor officiating at matches the local game would not progress for the better.
Teams
Chicken Inn: E Chipezeze, M Jackson, B Mbiriri, J Bernard, L Mhlanga, B Juru, T Goredema, C Matawu (G Majika, 60th), B Ncube, M Dube (T Chimenya, 67th), T Mukambi (C Kamhapa, 80th)
Chapungu: R Mazingi, C Mativenga, H Mugoniwa, B Mavarira, N Murisa (T Gonyora, 46th), M Mavuto, (C Murisa, 57th) T Mwale, F Manase (V Bangira, 75th), C Maheya, G Phiri.
