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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
Chicken Inn 2-0 ZPC Kariba

A late first half tactical substitution by Chicken Inn turned the direction of the game into their favour as they went on to grind a fourth straight win in a Castle Lager Premiership against ZPC Kariba at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

Despite taking a scrambled third minute lead from the boot of the imposing Guide Goddard, the home side was clearly on the back foot for the better part of the first half as Sunday Chidzambwa’s boys enjoyed more possession, with Raphael Manuvire and Francisco Zekumbawire causing problems.

Sensing a possible halt to their winning streak, Chicken Inn coach Rahman Gumbo took a gamble five minutes before the breather by taking out George Majika and bringing in midfield enforcer Thabani Goredema and it paid off.

“We had to cut off the supply line to the front runners where big striker Zekumbawire was putting them into the game. We defused the situation when we brought in Goredema to help Goddard and you could see a changed team in the second half,” said Gumbo.

The match got off at a rather slow start as the two sides were still sizing each other in the early stages of the game. However, the home side found itself ahead in the third minute when Majika forced a corner kick that was taken by Innocent Mucheneka.

The corner kick was cleared back to him and the former Hwange player sent in a rising shot which goalkeeper Elisha Nechiturire fumbled allowing Goddard to blast it into the nets from inside the 12-yard box.

It was to be the first and only real chance for Chicken Inn as ZPC Kariba took full charge of proceedings through methodical build-ups, but they were foiled by the home side’s backline of Passmore Bernard, Teenage Hadebe, Moses Jackson and Devine Lunga.

In the 36th minute, Manuvire forced a corner kick after winning possession inside the box, but the resultant kick was wasted. On the stroke of half time, Bornface Zuberi’s low cross from the right side found no takers.

The home side almost grabbed another gifted goal a minute into injury time when Darrly Nyandoro’s tame shot was cleared off the line with goalkeeper Elisha Nechiturire already beaten.

Chicken Inn returned from the breather eager to extend their lead, but their strike force failed to punish the visitors, especially Chris Samakweri. In the 51st minute, Samakweri skied his effort after being set up by Lunga.

In the 83rd minute, referee Bonamwali Bwanali, who had a good day with his assistants Abraham Manda and Peter Simtenda, pointed to the spot after Manda raised his flag following a foul on Thomas Kadyaridzire by goalkeeper Nechiturire.

Mucheneka stepped up to score despite the goalkeeper diving in the right direction.

“I thought in the first half we played reasonably well although we conceded an easy goal, but in the second half Chicken Inn controlled the game. The entire second half we were out of the game. It’s the attitude of the players, if you are to win away games you have to fight, but our guys were not fighting,” said a visibly disappointed Chidzambwa.

Gumbo also conceded that it was a game of two halves in which the visitors enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the opening stanza, while they controlled proceedings in the second.

Meanwhile, in other matches played yesterday, a second half brace from substitute Courage Denias and another goal from Guthrie Zhokinyi were enough to give Triangle a comfortable victory against Shabanie Mine in a midweek Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Gibbo yesterday. FC PLatinum coach Norman Mapeza is worried by the way his team keeps dropping points  at home after midfielder Gerald Takwara missed a sitter in a goalless draw at Mandava yesterday against Harare City.

Teams

Chicken Inn: Elvis Chipezeze, Passmore Bernard, Divine Lunga, Moses Jackson, Guide Goddard, Clemence Matawu, Chris Samakweri, Teenage Hadebe (Thomas Kadyaridzire 61st min), Innocent Mucheneka, Goerge Majika (Thabani Goredema 41st min), Darryl Nyandoro (Ishmael Lawe 82nd min)

ZPC Kariba: Elisha Nechiturire, Bornface Zuberi, Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe, Arnold Chiveya, Tawanda Nyamandwe, Tawanda Munyanduri, Never Tigere, Talent Chamboko, Daniel Chakupe( Samuel Makawa 68th min), Raphael Manuvire( Leonard Fiyado 74th min), Francisco Zekumbawire (Godknows Mangani 74th min)

Results: Chicken Inn 2-0 ZPC Kariba, FC Platinum 0-0 Harare City, Chapungu 1-0 Bulawayo City, Black Rhinos 3-0 Highlanders, Triangle United 3-1 Shabanie Mine.

@skhumoyo2000