The Sunday News
Chicken Inn ……………………………………(1) 2
Bulawayo City ……………………..…………… 0
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
CHICKEN INN easily shrugged off the lockdown cobwebs as they announced the return of football with an impressive dismissal of Bulawayo City in a Chibuku Super Cup group two match that was played at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
Eighteen months after the last kick of the ball, Chicken Inn literally made breakfast of the city fathers in a match that kicked off at 11am, with the impressive George Majika and hard running Obriel Chirinda sharing the goalscoring duties. The left footed Majika thrust the Gamecocks into the lead in the 15th minute with a well taken hard and low shot that beat diving Bulawayo City goalie Bhekimpilo Ncube from close range.
Chirinda, who was introduced as a second half substitute for equally pacey and stocky Brian Muza, got the assurance goal for the 2015 Premier Soccer League champions in stoppage time after his well taken strike from just outside the box deflated on defender Vincent Moyo to beat Ncube. Bulawayo City did put up a fight, especially in the second half but Joey Antipas’ Gamecocks were so good and dangerous to ensure that a shock was never genuinely on the cards.
“It was a good result for us but we still have lots of work to do. We have been away from the game for a long time but we did well in patches. Bulawayo City also did well, they fought for the entire 90 minutes. It was tough luck for them.
We dominated the game and created a lot of chances but we only scored two goals. Shepherd Mhlanga and Clive Dzingayi had a good show for us in midfield. In the back our wing play was good. Our objective was to come out of our first game with three points,” said Antipas.
His opposite number Philani “Beefy” Ncube bemoaned the fact that they were forced to make adjustments to their starting line-up after five of their players, Aron Ngwenya, Douglas Sibanda, John Chinyerere, Mpumelelo Bhebhe and Dalubuhle Dlodlo failed to get their player licences on time.
“Unfortunately, we conceded two goals, one in the first 15 minutes of the game and the other one right at the death of the match when we were looking for an equaliser. The changing of our lineup after our five players failed to get their licences in time, it psychologically affected us. It was a very difficult situation for us because I only learnt about the development on Friday night. There is really something wrong with our football because these are players who were playing local football and I wonder how PSL failed to facilitate their papers on time,” said Beefy.
In their next match, Chicken Inn will do battle against Chibuku Super Cup holders Highlanders. City will fight it out against Twitter Kings, Bulawayo Chiefs.
Teams
Chicken Inn: B Donovan, I Nekati, X Ndlovu, N Ketala, M Jackson, S Mhlanga, C Dzingayi, M Gaki (Pini 93 mins), G Majika (L Ndlovu 46 mins), B Amidu (Mutatiwa 78 mins), B Muza (Chirinda 66 mins)
Bulawayo City: B Ncube, L Ncube, V Moyo, B Phiri, N Moyo, D Mukandi, M Ncube (W Kamudyariwa 76th min), L Lunga (E Farasi 85 mins), Nkulungo (M Sibanda 77 mins), H Ncube (C Machisi 77 mins), W Mutasa.
