Sundaymail Editor
Zimpapers Sports Hub
CHICKEN INN coach Joey Antipas hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League yesterday after he invaded the pitch and ordered his players out following a second penalty award to hosts Yadah at Heart Stadium.
His behaviour, which surprisingly went unpunished by referee Lawrence Zimondi, cast a shadow on the local game, with scenes at the stadium resembling those at a social soccer match where anything goes.
As a veteran gaffer, Antipas should have known better that coaches have no right to invade the pitch and, worst of all, order players out. The Premier Soccer League has channels meant to deal with grievances of any nature, that is, if he had a genuine reason to support his unwarranted action.
When he felt he had changed his mind after causing a lengthy stoppage, Antipas ordered his players back onto the field, but that did not stop former Zimbabwe international, Khama Billiat, from scoring his second penalty to give Yadah a 2-0 lead.
Billiat had scored the first penalty, as his team ended Chicken Inn’s three-match winning run with an ultimate 2-1 victory in the incident-packed match.
He has now scored three goals in two games, having grabbed the equaliser in a 2-2 draw with champions Ngezi Platinum at Baobab Stadium on Wednesday.
It was Yadah’s first win at their home ground on the third attempt and the first time they won a game with Billiat in the line-up as the former Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ajax Cape Town star missed the only other win, away to TelOne, due to injury.
Chicken Inn, who went into the match after successive victories over Green Fuel, Highlanders and Hwange, needed at least a draw to go top of the league standings for at least 24 hours, but came unstuck against the Miracle Boys.
They remained second and level on 15 points with neighbours Highlanders, who host CAPS United this afternoon.
Chicken Inn finished the match with 10 men as Danny Phiri had been given a straight red card for rough play, 15 minutes into the match, when Yadah were leading 1-0.
Billiat sent Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard the wrong way in the 13th minute following a handball offence by the visitors’ defender.
The visitors were not happy with Zimondi, and when the second penalty was awarded for a foul on Evans Rusike just before halftime, Antipas was incensed, resulting in him invading the pitch and ordering his players to leave. This resulted in the stoppage, as other members of the Chicken Inn technical department took turns to convince Antipas to let play resume.
And when play eventually resumed, Billiat kept his cool to send Donovan the wrong way again to make it 2-0.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Chicken Inn looked technically superior and pulled a goal back via a brilliant breakaway in the 64th minute through substitute Brando Rendo, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish.
Chicken Inn took advantage of the decision by Yadah coach Thomas Ruzive to take out Rusike, who had kept the visitors’ defenders busy until the substitution.
With a bit of composure, Chicken Inn could have snatched a last-minute equaliser and go top of the league.
At Wadzanai Stadium in Shamva, ambitious Simba Bhora had to salvage a draw at home to TelOne and extend their winless run to three matches following defeats away to Bulawayo Chiefs and Bikita Minerals prior to yesterday’s match.
Tymon Machope scored in the 25th minute to level terms after Darryl Nyandoro had put TelOne ahead in the 20th minute.
With Chicken Inn losing at Yadah, victory would have taken Simba Bhora top of the league standings for at least 24 hours, but they had to settle for a third match without victory. In another match, ZPC Kariba strode to their sixth draw in nine matches, a goalless affair with newcomers Bikita Minerals at Nyamhunga Stadium.
Online Reporter