Fungai Muderere at Luveve Stadium
Chicken Inn 1-1 FC Platinum
CHICKEN Inn posted their third consecutive draw when they drew one all with former champions FC Platinum in a Week Three Castle Lager Premiership match played yesterday.
After going for 180 minutes without finding the back of the net, that saw them draw nil all against Bikita Minerals and Yadah Stars in their first two games of the season, Chicken Inn thought they had salvaged three points courtesy of a Brian Muza strike, only for the visitors to get a late equaliser through Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya.
Going into yesterday’s match, Pure Platinum Play drew nil all against Simba Bhora before they edged Manica Diamonds 1-0 at Mandava Stadium.
Muza, in his first goal of the season and that of Gamecocks, he found it in the 66th minute before Ngwenya pounced on a goalkeeping error in the 85th minute by Donovan Bernard to level the score and deny the hosts all three points.
“To be honest, we could have sealed this one. We executed our game plan very perfectly. Our game plan was to stifle FC Platinum from playing their normal game and bank on pressing. Our counter-pressing was very excellent,” said Chicken Inn head, coach Joey Antipas.
Mapeza was happy with getting a point.
“Look, they (Chicken Inn) were doing well in the first half. We were pressing but the challenge was with our goalkeeper (David Bizabani), he was not doing it the way we were doing it at training. It’s those small little things that can make a difference. The guys (need) to learn, at times they need to watch football on television,” said Mapeza.
Both teams cried foul of referee Mhaka Magare who denied both what appeared genuine penalty calls.
Meanwhile, Tadious Manyepo in Shamva, reports that reigning champions Simba Bhora picked their first set of three points this season when constricting a battling 10-man Herentals in this exciting Premiership match they won 1-0 at Wadzanai yesterday.
Having seen their opening two games ending in goalless draws against FC Platinum and ZPC Kariba, the Shamva miners were in a desperate need to get their season off the start-line.
Namibian import Isakar Gurirab, got the goal that gave them the win eight minutes before time to spark the very first goal celebrations at Wadzanai this year.
But the victory never came without bruises and blood.
It was a tense engagement between two teams whose match-ups are always typically closely contested.
Spectators who packed the Wadzanai arena never got disappointed as the sides showed the zeal to play and the rhythm was never in doubt.
It was a display full of energy and zeal and coach Paul Benza deservedly held his head high at the sound of the final whistle.
“Yea, it was a very good game of football from both sides. Unfortunately, we ended up losing after matching our opponents despite being a man short for the rest of the second half,” said Benza.
“My boys played well and I should give them a pat on the back.”
The match started off in an electric pace with the visitors enjoying a majority of the ball led by captain Tino Benza and Eric Dombo in the left axis.
Twice, Dombo’s clean deliveries found no takers in the box.
At the opposite end, Blessing Moyo tried a dip shot but Takudzwa Chikosi was unyielding between the Herentals’ posts.
It took substitute Gurirab to finally breach Herentals’ resoluteness and give coach Joel Luphahla his first win in four games across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Onward Gangata writes from Gweru that Kwekwe United redeemed themselves from last week’s humiliating 4-0 loss to Highlanders to beat Bikita Minerals 1-0 at Bata Stadium.
The newcomers’ players spent the better part of the week boycotting training over unpaid dues.
The effects of the missed training days were visible for the hosts as they struggled in the second half and had Lady Luck to thank for the victory.
Their goalkeeper, Lennon Gonese was arguably the star of the match as he pulled off a string of good saves to deny the visitors.
In the end, Masimba Mambare’s first-half strike was enough to secure Kwekwe United’s first win in the top flight.
But Kwekwe United coach, Saul Chaminuka praised his charges for their fortitude but felt there is a need to put their house in order.
“We gave them too much space and time on the ball, from the start, you could tell this was not my team,” decried Chaminuka.
The Gold Boys surged ahead on the 27th minute mark through Mambare who got to the end of a Murimba pass.
Bikita came close to equalising moments after with the impressive Tinashe Ruzive sending his shot wide off the target.
