The Sunday Mail
Ngqwele Dube in Bulawayo
Chicken Inn………………….2
Triangle………………………1
TITLE chasers Chicken Inn revived their fading hopes of clinching the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship when a goal each in the first half by Innocent Mucheneka and Xolani Ndlovu helped them to their second win in six matches at Luveve yesterday. The Gamecocks moved into second place, dislodging champions FC Platinum, who are inactive this weekend. Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas received the result with mixed feelings as he was happy that his team is back in the championship matrix but is in a conundrum as he will be absent in the next two fixtures. Antipas, who is the interim national senior men’s team head coach, will be heading for two assignments with the Warriors during a time when his side will be playing Mushowani and Ngezi Platinum on Wednesday and Saturday respectively. The Warriors take on Botswana on Friday and Zambia the following week.
“The result gives us hope as it firmly places us back into the championship matrix and with five games to go there is still a lot to play for. All we have to do is ensure we work hard to come up with the best results and take as much from the remaining 15 points. In any normal country, games are cancelled when it’s a FIFA week but unfortunately it is not the same here and this leaves us in a conundrum. We just hope we will be able to try and manage the situation, but we don’t know how,” Antipas said.
On the pitch, it was the visitors who started on a high note dominating proceedings as they bossed the midfield, controlling possession and gave Chicken Inn anxious moments.
But it was the Gamecocks who took the lead in the 25th minute. A swift counter attack saw Obriel Chirinda outpacing Triangle defenders and passing the ball to Mucheneka who slotted it in past Tapiwa Chilenga.
Four minutes later, Xolani Ndlovu made it two as his shot deflected off a Triangle defender and rose to beat Chilenga.
Triangle did not give up their search for a goal and in the 38th minute Ralph Kawondera headed the ball past Pride Zendera off a cross from Gerald Bero. The second half saw Triangle maintain dominance but they failed to score.
Kowondera made another attempt with a header deep into injury time but Zendera punched it and it hit the crossbar and went out but Triangle players felt the ball had gone in.
Triangle coach, Taurai Mangwiro was livid at the match officiating and felt “it was useless playing predetermined matches”, as he stormed the field and approached the referees after the final whistle.
“I’m short of words to express how I feel right now because I think as football people, we just have to be honest to ourselves. This is not good for our football. It is useless if we are going to play predetermined games like this. I can’t talk about tactics or anything because of the way things went,” he said without elaborating what had irked him.
