The Sunday Mail
Harare City ……………………….(2) 2
Chicken Inn …………………………. 0
MARTIN VENGESAYI’s first half brace ensured victory for Harare City.
The Sunshine Boys dismissed a disjointed Chicken Inn at Rufaro yesterday to ease pressure on coach Taurai Mangwiro, who lost the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season opener to new boys Tsholotsho FC.
Vengesayi opened his account after only nine minutes when he outpaced Chicken Inn central defenders — Moses Jackson and Lawrence — before slotting the ball past a diving Elvis Chipezeze.
He completed his brace just before the half time whistle, turning his marker before firing home.
Chicken Inn, who only had two shots on target, were reduced to ten men in the 86th minute when second half substitute David Temwanjira was sent off following a second bookable offence.
The Gamecocks first real chance came in the 44th minute when the gangly Bheki Ncube found himself unmarked in the box but directed his header straight at City keeper Tafadzwa Dube.
Dube produced a spectacular save seven minutes after the restart when he acrobatically tipped over Edmore Chirambadare’s shot.
Chirambadare was the top scorer in the Southern Region Division One League last year with Tsholotsho FC, banging 16 goals for the Matabeleland North side.
Mangwiro, who made four changes to the team that fell to Tsholotsho FC on Match Day One, heaved a huge sigh of relief after the final whistle, admitting a loss would have been a disaster.
“We definitely needed to win this one. It’s good that we have picked our first set of points. I had to make a few adjustments here and there in reaction to that defeat.
“I think it will take five or six games for the team to play at the level that I want it to play, but we should be picking up the points in the process,” said Mangwiro.
Defensive linkman Tendai Samanja was not in the squad as he is nursing a knee injury while defender Crispen Dickson and giant striker Francesco Zekumbawire were dropped.
Munyaradzi Nenye, Raymond Uchena, James Jam and Nicholas Alifandika started yesterday.
Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas, whose Denmark based son — Quincy — was watching from the stands, saluted Harare City.
“We’ve got to give City the credit, they were quick in attack and I would like to wish them all the best in the season. I thought we played well in the second half though and we have ourselves to blame for those two goals,” he said.
Vengesayi was on cloud nine.
“It’s an important victory, scoring those crucial goals makes me proud and I hope to build on today’s performance and better last season’s tally of eight goals in all competitions,” he said.
Harare City: T. Dube, M. Nyenye, A. Chiveya, T. Ndhovu, D. Kutyauripo, R. Uchena, J. Jam, M. Vengesayi, N. Alifandika (L. Zvasiya), H. Chimutimunzeve (F. Zekumbawire 88th), T. Chawapihwa.
Chicken Inn: E. Chipezeze, M. Jackson, B. Mbiriri, D. Phiri, M. Katsvairo, P. Bernard, E. Chirambadare, T. Goredema (T.Kutinyu 64th), L. Mhlanga, B. Ncube (D. Temwanjira 46th), M. Majika (C. Matawu 57th).
