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Moses Jackson

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGH-riding Chicken Inn will be out to add more woes to troubled Caps United when the two sides clash in a re-arranged Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Luveve Stadium this afternoon.

Caps have been a pale shadow of themselves and come to Bulawayo having last won a league game in April when they beat air force side Chapungu 4-0.

Their continental engagements in the Caf Champions League saw them falling behind in terms of local league games played and the catch up race seems to be badly shaping up.

Caps come to Bulawayo stuck in the relegation bracket and their confidence at an all time low and now need to summon all their pedigree to rise to the occasion to defend their title.

They, however, hold a psychological advantage over a fired up Chicken Inn, as the Game Cocks last beat them more than four years ago.

But Chicken Inn are not worried about that “historical advantage” and coach Rahman Gumbo, who has already declared his side’s title ambitions, aptly summed it up.

“We don’t care who we are playing. All we want is to grind a result, how we get it doesn’t matter,” said Gumbo.

Chicken Inn have posted an incredible 10 1-0 wins and haven’t conceded in their 11 wins to date, while their defence remains the best in the league.

“The level of discipline in the backline is impressive,” said Gumbo.

The defence is marshalled by the revived Guide Goddard, the tough as teak Moses Jackson, fluid left-back Devine Lunga and the unheralded but dangerous Passmore Bernard.

In midfield, there is the gritty duo of Innocent Mucheneka and Thabani Goredema as well as the ageless Clemence Matawu, who are all gifted with rare skills of man marking. Their ball distribution has clinical accuracy.

They have, however, been let down by their strike force, which has been taking turns to miss even some gilt-edged chances.

Veteran, Chris Samakweri though seems to be slowly getting his old form back, with some signs of hunger in front of goal.

“It’s our hope that we will continue getting maximum points even though people are saying we are not scoring, which is true, but at the end of the day, it’s the three points that matter,” said Gumbo.

Today he comes up against his former skipper at Makepekepe in Lloyd Chitembwe, who beat him home and away last season as the Green Machine cruised to their first league title since 2005.

@skhumoyo2000