The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporters —
Bantu Rovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
Chicken Inn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 5
FORMER Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn sent some early warning shots yesterday with a ruthless thumping of neighbours Bantu Rovers at Luveve yesterday.
The 2015 champions got their goals from Ismael Lawe (brace), Obadiah Tarumbwa, Tafadzwa Kutinyu, Innocent Mucheneka and veteran forward Obadiah Tarumbwa.
The Gamecocks have not featured prominently in the pre-season championship talk but with the bulk of the team that won the title under Joey “Mafero” Antipas still available Rahman Gumbo and his men have every reason to be confident.
A youthful Bantu Rovers outfit is certainly not the toughest team Chicken Inn will face this season but the yesterday’s impressive start to the season would have done their confidence a world of good.
Meanwhile, Tsholotsho failed to score or collect maximum points at their adopted home as they played out a goalless draw with Hwange at Dulivhadzimu in Beitbridge yesterday.
Tsholotsho, who lost their coach Lizwe Sweswe to FC Platinum in the offseason, could have fallen in the late stages but goalie Marion Chang saved the day when he parried away Shepherd Patsikwa’s stinging shot in the 77th minute.
New recruit Canaan Nkomo, formerly of Chicken Inn and Bruno Madanhire had Tsholotsho’s best chances soon after the restart but his shooting was wild if not comical.
Tsholotsho substitute Mustafa Ponyera spurned a great chance in the 49th minute.
Former Highlanders skipper Felix Chindungwe is now at Tsholotsho FC, who are now coached by Farai Tawachera, but the dreadlocked defender did not play a part yesterday.
Chindungwe’s experience will be key is Iziqholo Zezhwane are to survive relegation again this season.
Hwange, who lost top scorer Gift Mbweti to FC Platinum and Pritchard Mpelele to Harare City, fielded a largely unknown side but with Nation Dube back on the bench the coal miners cannot be underrated this term.
There was commotion before the start of the match as fans believed to be of former premiership side Border Strikers threatened to remove nets and goal posts.
The fans were protesting against the barring of their relegated team to train at Dulivhadzimu stadium.
The stadium is now being leased to Iziqholo zeZhwane by the local authority.
Things got back to normal when Tsholotsho FC offered to hire the nets from Border strikers for $ 50.
Castle Lager PSL results
Chapungu 0-0 Triangle
Yadah 0-0 Harare City
Tsholotsho FC 0-0 Hwange
Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-0 Black Rhinos
Bantu Rovers 0-5 Chicken Inn
ZPC Kariba 1-0 How Mine
