FC Platinum on Chicken Inn’s back FC Platinum

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
CHAMPIONSHIP chasing Chicken Inn sent a huge statement of intent as they were the biggest scoring winners at the weekend, hitting four past relegation-threatened Cranborne Bullets in Mutare.

With defending champions FC Platinum heavily breathing on their neck, Joey Antipas’ men showed character as they came from a goal down to clobber Bullets 4-1 in their backyard.

Philani ‘Beefy’ Ncube

Goals by Brett Amidu, Marlvin Hwata, Brian Muza and Munashe Pini powered the Gamecocks to maximum points, taking their tally to 38 from 18 games.

Bullets, who suffered their fifth consecutive defeat, got their face saver from former Dynamos’ player Jarrison Selemani.

But it is the perfect start that charmed Antipas.

Joey Antipas

“It was a five-star performance by the boys. The fact that we stuck to our game plan despite being a goal down and fought back into the game to claim maximum points, shows that the boys are hungry. Playing teams at the bottom is not easy because you have to guard against complacency and be mentally prepared.

“Also, it was key for us to start the second-half of the season well because this race is going to be tightly contested and teams have returned from the break fired up,” said Antipas.

In the reverse fixture, Chicken Inn had managed a slender 1-0 win against Bullets.

FC Platinum, who found themselves back in title contention following a slow start, went into the weekend game after being boosted by three points on a 3-0 scoreline that the PSL disciplinary committee handed to them for the abandoned match against Highlanders.

Lawrence Mhlanga

FC Platinum beat Tenax CS FC 2-0 in Mutare with Blessing Moyo and defender Lawrence Mhlanga on target.
Dynamos’ championship charge took a knock as they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Yadah and remained glued in third place on the league table with 34 points. DeMbare now trail Chicken Inn by four points.

The victory lifted Yadah three places up the table to 1th with 19 points, two points above the drop zone.

Competition at the tail end is intense, with ZPC Kariba moving out of the relegation zone into 13th from 16th following a 1-0 win against Caps United.

The power generators are now on 18 points, while Caps United slipped two places down the ladder into 14th with 17 points.

Yadah

Caps United have been on a downward spiral, losing seven straight matches.

The Green Machine is gazing at relegation and tied on 17 points with Tenax, who occupy the last relegation spot.

Second from the bottom Bulawayo City saw their four-match unbeaten run coming to a halt in a 0-3 loss to Ngezi Platinum Stars at Barboufields Stadium.

It was Farai Tawachera’s first defeat since replacing Philani ‘Beefy’ Ncube as City’s head coach in May.

Table anchors Whawha suffered a 1-0 home defeat to fourth placed Manica Diamonds.
— @ZililoR

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