Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
CHICKEN Inn face a stern test of character when they take on fellow title contenders FC Platinum in a top of the table Castle Lager Premiership clash at Luveve Stadium on Saturday.

The Gamecocks will be out to end their seven-year winless jinx at home against FC Platinum, having last registered a win over the platinum miners in Bulawayo on November 3, 2013.

Chicken Inn won that game 2-0, but since then they have played host to FC Platinum six times in Bulawayo and drawn twice and lost four times.

In 2014, they drew 2-2 and shared the spoils again in a 1-1 stalemate in 2015.

The Gamecocks then lost by identical 1-0 score lines in 2016, 2017 and 2019. In 2018 they were beaten 2-0.

Chicken Inn will be hoping to end the long winless streak on Saturday at a time only one point separates the two sides on the league table.

Chicken Inn lead the table with 38 points from 18 games.

The two sides have been enjoying good runs and their weekend fixture promises to be a potentially explosive encounter.

Both sides kicked off the second-half with impressive away wins in Mutare last weekend. Chicken Inn hammered Cranborne Bullets 4-1, with Brett Amidu, top goal scorer Brian Muza, Marlvin Hwata and Munashe Pini on target.

FC Platinum were 2-0 victors over Tenax courtesy of goals by Blessing Moyo and Lawrence Mhlanga.

What the two sides have demonstrated is their ability to get goals from any player on the field, which makes the encounter unpredictable.

Chicken Inn are unbeaten in seven games, with their last loss coming on April 9 when they were felled 3-0 in Gweru by relegation threatened Whawha.

During their seven-match unbeaten run, Chicken Inn have managed to collect 15 points from a possible 21, recording four wins against Bulawayo City (1-0), Triangle United (1-0), Caps United (1-0) and Cranborne Bullets (4-1).

The other three Chicken Inn matches ended in draws against Highlanders (1-1), Herentals (0-0) and Yadah (1-1).
FC Platinum visit Bulawayo enjoying a five-match winning streak. Their last defeat was at the hands of Herentals (0-1) on April 30.

However, the defending champions managed to recover from that shock defeat to thrash beleaguered Caps United 3-0, Yadah (2-0), Triangle United (4-0), Cranborne Bullets (1-0) and Tenax (2-0).

Nineteen-year-old striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, who has so far banged in seven goals and won the PSL Player of the Month accolade for May, could be key in FC Platinum’s match against Chicken Inn, while the Gamecocks will rely on Muza.

Matchday 19 fixtures
Saturday: ZPC Kariba vs Yadah (Nyamhunga, 1pm), Black Rhinos vs Herentals (Vengere), Harare City vs Caps United (National Sports Stadium), Chicken Inn vs FC Platinum (Luveve Stadium)
Sunday: Ngezi Platinum Stars vs Highlanders (Baobab), Dynamos vs Triangle United (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo Chiefs vs Cranborne Bullets (Luveve), Manica Diamonds vs Bulawayo City (Sakubva), Whawha vs Tenax CS FC (Ascot)
— @ZililoR.