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Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Chicken Inn forward Mitchell Katsvairo opened his goal scoring account in the South African Absa Premiership with the second goal for Soweto glamour side Kaizer Chiefs against Free State Stars on Wednesday evening.

The night belonged to Zimbabweans after Warriors’ skipper and midfield strongman Willard Katsande propelled Amakhosi ahead from a first half spot kick.

Katsvairo, deemed excess luggage by FC Platinum before Joe Antipas gave him a lifeline at Chicken Inn, made a first touch control of George Lebese’s pass before finishing at the near post.

Coach Steve Komphela was full of praise for Katsvairo, who joined Amakhosi at the beginning of the season together with his former Chicken Inn teammate Edmore Chirambadare.

“I’m happy for Katsvairo, he’s been working very hard. He’s got touches, he can play with a defender on his back, he knows how to spin the ball and he gets into the right areas.

“Now a goal will be a boost because you know how strikers are, they can make great runs, they can create and make, but up until they take it they are never satisfied,” Komphela told KickOff magazine.

Katsvairo told the same publication he was grateful to coach Komphela’s motivation as he searched for his first goal.

“Ja, he [the coach] always tells me to push and it’s working now. Of course, the understanding between the players at Chiefs is getting better. I would like to thank all the players because they are taking me as family, so I think it’s the best thing because we are working as a team.

“As a striker, my job is to score, so I was waiting for it and I would like to thank God for it,” said Katsvairo.