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Fungai Muderere at Vengere Stadium, Rusape 

Manica Diamonds 0 -1 Chicken Inn

FORMER Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions, Chicken Inn, finally managed to break this season’s jinx at Rusape’s Vengere Stadium when they edged hosts Manica Diamonds in a match played yesterday.

It was the Gamecocks’ third match of the season at the same venue where they previously fell to Tenax CS and army side Black Rhinos.

A Munashe Pini flashing header in the 14th minute from stand in captain Xolisani Ndlovu’s inviting cross was all what Chicken Inn needed to collect maximum points and take their total to 48. 

The Gamecocks were smarting from two consecutive defeats and yesterday’s result saw them remain on position three, 10 points behind log leaders FC Platinum.

Chicken Inn, who up to now have been viewed as top challengers for the title, have been dropping crucial points with each passing game.

Yesterday’s tightly contested match saw the Joey Antipas-led Chicken Inn technical department for the umpteenth time being compelled to make changes to their defence.

With their vice-captain Passmore Bernard on suspension and veteran duo of Moses Jackson and Guide Goddard having travelled to Rusape without training with the team for the whole past week as they were attending the Zifam Level One coaching course that concluded in Bulawayo on Saturday, stand in Gamecocks skipper Ndlovu, young Arthur Chirinda, Nelson Ketala and Itai Mabunu formed the rearguard for the visitors. 

It was a defence line that did well to shutout a marauding Manica Diamonds attacking quartet that had stocky Farai Mugumwa, Collins Dhuwa, Nyasha Chintuli and Talent Chamboko.

In the 21st minute Gamecocks’ returnee, Tafadzwa Kutinyu shuddered in disbelief when his brilliantly nodded ball from another Ndlovu delivery, was disallowed after first assistant referee Pfumai Ndoro raised his flag for an offside.

“We played well, I’m happy that we had to stick to our game plan. That helped us a lot. We also defended well and we managed to keep a clean sheet. I’m happy we have finally broken our Vengere Stadium jinx. We hope the gods will smile at us again,” remarked an ecstatic Antipas.

Manica Diamonds head coach Johanisi Nhumwa said they were let down by their strikers.

“We approached the game so well. But we failed to defend against set play. 

“We spent the entire week working on that knowing that Chicken Inn will seek to utilise their height.

Our strikers were sleepy, they missed a number of glorious chances. We will need to push again and maintain our status,” said Nhumwa.

Both teams now shift focus to the Chibuku Super Cup with the two in the quarter-finals of the country’s top club competition. Chicken Inn made yet another journey to Rusape to face Black Rhinos while Manica Diamonds travel to Harare for a date with Herentals. 

Teams

Manica Diamonds: A Rayners, L Vundla, B Chikwenya, T Ndlovu, C Munzambwa, R Mufudza, T Chamboko, C Dhuwa (Tapera 77 mins), F Mugumwa (Teguru 61 mins), N Chintuli (Mabvura 77mims) L Katongomara

Chicken Inn: D Bernard, A Chinda, R Hachiro, N Ketala, B Muza (Gaki 80 mins), S Mhlanga, T Kutinyu, M Whata, I Mabunu, X Ndlovu, M Pini — @FungaiMuderere