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Rahman Gumbo

Oscar Rusenga in Triangle
Triangle FC 1-1 Chicken Inn

CHICKEN Inn and Triangle played to a draw in a controversial Castle Lager Premiership soccer match at Gibbo yesterday after the two sides met for the second time in seven days at the same venue.

Chicken Inn felt hard done by Bikita-based referee Makonese Masakadza who awarded the hosts a lifeline when he pointed to the spot for Triangle for their equaliser in the second half.

Play was stopped for more than seven minutes as the visitors protested against the referee’s decision but Marvellous Mukumba, who won the penalty for the home side, hit the roof of the net as he levelled the scores in the 67th minute.

“I think the referee decided the outcome of the game, that wasn’t a penalty to be quite frank. I’ve never complained about officiating before, the guy (Mukumba) just jumped inside the box and the referee actually decided the game for Triangle,” said Chicken Inn’s coach Rahman Gumbo after the match.

Both coaches made two changes to the teams that faced off in the Chibuku Super Cup last Sunday.

Triangle head coach David Mandigora made two forced changes from the side that beat Chicken Inn 1-0 at the same venue last Sunday, replacing injured Simba Makoni and suspended Derwin Phiri with Courage Denias and Tendai Huwa.

Gumbo, who showed frustration at Obadiah Tarumbwa after he missed a clear cut chance in last Sunday’s match, dropped the veteran striker and replaced him with Tafadzwa Kutinyu.

Pride Tafirenyika also took Physwell Madhazi’s place in the starting 11.

Triangle created better chances in the opening exchanges but they were punished for wasting their opportunities in the 9th minute.

George Majika opened the scoring for the visitors with a thunderbolt from close-range after a neat cross from Divine Lunga.

The first-half ended with the hosts trailing by a goal with man-of-the-match Clemence Matawu dictating pace for the visitors in the middle of the park.

Mandigora then introduced captain Nhamo Lameck for Huwa in the 51st minute while his opposite number Gumbo replaced Tafirenyika with Brian Juru at the interval.

Lameck could have won it for the hosts deep inside referee’s optional time but he opted for power instead of a simple chip when he was well placed to score after rounding Chicken Inn defenders.

Mandigora thought his side had better chances of winning the game but admitted that a point against Chicken Inn was not a bad result.

“Today we deserved to win, we created quite a number of chances but we were just unlucky. Getting one point is better than losing all three and we must now work on our finishing,” said Mandigora

Teams

Triangle: Ronald Mudimu, Ralph Kawondera, Courage Denias (Nathan Ziwini 71min), Dzingai Chirambamuriwo (Tapiwa Dhepistara 88th minute), Kudzai Chigwida, Guthrie Zhokinyi, Tendai Huwa (Nhamo Lameck 51st minute), Marvellous Mukumba, Tichaona Mapungwana, Marlvin Gaki, Hardlife Mavundi

Chicken Inn: Elvis Chipezeze, Passmore Bernard, Divine Lunga, George Majika (Ben Nyahunzvi 27th minute), Tafadzwa Kutinyu, Ozias Zibande (Lawe Lawe 75th minute), Thabani Goredema, Moses Jackson, Clemence Matawu, Lawrence Mhlanga, Pride Tafirenyika (Brian Juru 46th minute)