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KENNEDY NDEBELE

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
CHICKEN Inn begin their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title defence with a tough home fixture against former champions Dynamos when the season kicks-off on April 2.

It will be a tough opening day for Chicken Inn following two Caf Champions League ties against South African side Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Gamecocks’ coach Joey Antipas has given some of his dependable players time out to recover for the season before the release of the fixtures.

Goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, defender Lawrence Mhlanga, midfielder Danny Phiri, attacking winger Edmore Chirambadare and striker Moses Demera were all given a two-week break and Antipas will feel justified following their opening draw against Dynamos.

Except for Phiri, who recently recovered from a tendon strain, the other four players never went on holiday in December as they were with the national team at last month’s African Nations Championship (Chan) in Rwanda.

Antipas will need his full-strength side on the opening day of the 2016 season so that they get off on a strong footing.

What makes the champions’ opening fixture more exciting is that they face an opponent bidding to reclaim the title. It will also be a stern test for Dynamos’ new Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva.

Silva, whose side was booted out of the ZNA Charities Cup by ZPC Kariba 0-1 on Sunday, will be under the spotlight when they come to Bulawayo for their opening game of the season.

Apart from the attention being on Silva, another coach, who will get a real baptism of Zimbabwean fire in his debut as PSL coach is Highlanders’ Erol Akbay, whose side starts with an away trip to Hwange.

PSL new boys Bulawayo City begin their maiden season journey with a date against How Mine, while Tsholotsho FC take on FC Platinum in Zvishavane.

One of the biggest fixtures in local football pitting giants Dynamos and Highlanders will be played on Week Eight in Harare.

PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said the Chibuku Super Cup will be played in September.

“We’re done with the league fixtures and our programme starts on April 2. What we want is to have played nine rounds of matches by the end of May.

“We’ll have a break at the end of June to make way for Zifa’s AfroAsia tournament. By then we should be halfway through the season,” said Ndebele.

“On cup games, so far we’ve the Chibuku Super Cup confirmed and we’re working on getting partners for some tournaments. If we manage to get another tournament, it’ll be slotted in the calendar,” Ndebele said.