Gamecocks squeeze past Bantu Rovers Rahman Gumbo
Rahman Gumbo

Rahman Gumbo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
Chicken Inn 1-0 Bantu Rovers

DEVINE Lunga put up a five star performance and turned provider in the second half to help Chicken Inn squeeze maximum points from a tactically disciplined Bantu Rovers in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

Playing on the left-back position, Lunga roasted his marker to send in a cross that was met by Darly Nyandoro’s towering header to beat Rovers’ goalkeeper Notice Dube all systems out.

Nyandoro was just eight minutes into the match after coming on for Collins Dhuwa as Chicken Inn sought ways of opening up the Rovers’ defence.

Rovers, who seemed content with having their opponents come at them, almost found an equaliser at the end of match following a schoolboy blunder by the usually dependable Guide Goddard, but Rovers’ forwards took long to go for the kill.

The miss of the day, however, came from another second half substitute Blessing Sibanda, who came in for Obidiah Tarumbwa in the 84th minute. A minute after coming on, Sibanda headed way over the bar from a nice cross by Lunga.

Rahman Gumbo, the Chicken Inn coach, was livid at Sibanda’s scandalous miss. Chicken Inn failed to make full use of their dominance in a first half in which goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze was a virtual spectator.

Rovers did not even have a shot at goal for the entire first 45 minutes. On the contrary, Gumbo’s boys could have scored at least three goals had veterans Clemence Matawu and Tarumbwa been clinical in front of goal.

Matawu ought to have stabbed the ball into the net in the eighth minute after getting to the end of a beautiful in-swinger from Lunga.

In the 33rd minute, Tarumbwa shook his head in disbelief after miscuing a header when he rose high above the rest in the box.

“They were tactically organised and it was always going to be difficult for us to break them,” said Chicken Inn goalkeepers’ coach Julius Ndlovu.

Methembe Ndlovu, the Bantu Rovers coach, felt his boys played well despite their opponents dominating possession.

“I am happy with our shape because I felt they controlled possession, but sadly we couldn’t create our own chances,” said Methembe.

Chicken Inn completed a double over Bantu Rovers with yesterday’s win following the 5-0 whitewash in the season opener.

Teams
Chicken Inn: Elvis Chipezeze, Physiwell Madhazi, Devine Lunga, Moses Jackson, Guide Goddard, Clemence Matawu, Chris Samakweri, Thabani Goredema, Obidiah Tarumbwa ( Blessing Sibanda 84th min) Innocent Mucheneka, Collins Duwa (Darly Nyandoro 53rd min).

Bantu Rovers: Notice Dube, Kudzaishe Dzingwe, Alex Chikwira (Samson Sakala 77th min), Lindelani Ncube, Tapiwa Kumbuyani, Munyaradzi Chitambwe, (Garai Nyasha 84th min), Lucky Ndlela, Pride Zivengwa, McCarthy Dube, (Mbonisi Ncube 69th min), Marvin Sibanda, Brighton Ncube

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