Byo City overcome Chicken Inn

Chicken Inn …………………. 0
Bulawayo City …………… (1) 1
BULAWAYO City coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube has assured of further wins following his team’s first victory of the season recorded over defending Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

City who previously had three draws and one defeat from their first four fixtures in the top flight got the winner in the first half through Eddy Nkhulungo. In a post-match interview, Ncube vowed that more wins are still to come. He detailed how they had plotted the Gamecocks’ downfall from the time the Zimbabwean champions were participating in the Confederation of African Football Champions League. Yesterday, he believes they were more superior than Chicken Inn in the midfield department where they made their opponents play to the City approach in the game.

“More wins are still to come, we were better than Chicken Inn in midfield, we made them play to our own style of play, we could have hammered them 3-0 in the first few minutes. We have been studying them for a long time when they were playing in the Champions League, we knew their strengths and weaknesses, we knew their defence had no pace,’’ said Ncube.

Chicken Inn assistant coach Prince Matore, in charge in the absence of head coach Joey Antipas refused to believe that their title defence has been dented despite the Gamecocks recording their second loss in a row. He attributed their defeat to them not being efficient in attack as they ran with the ball for long periods without doing something productive with it.

“We were not effective going forward, we wanted to regroup and collect maximum points we have lost but we will regroup, we had some injuries in midfield and we are working on that,’’ said Matore.

City were by far the better side throughout the match and came close in the fourth minute, Emmanuel Mandiranga put through on goal only to be denied by a great save from Pride Zendera. The Chicken Inn goalkeeper was called into action a minute later to thwart Mandiranga’s well taken grounder.

The pressure paid off for City in the seventh minute, Nkhulungo fed by Innocent Kutsanzira, saw off the challenge of Moses Jackson to drill the ball past Zendera from inside the box.

City sought their second goal with seven minutes to go before the break, Mandiranga’s effort going wide from a long pass delivered by Nkhulungo.
After the break, Mandiranga could have doubled City’s advantage when he went through the Chicken Inn defence only for his goal attempt to miss the target.

In one of the rare moments that Chicken Inn did endeavour to score, Obadiah Tarumbwa’s header from a Michelle Katsvairo cross drifted wide.
Brain Chikwenya wasted a glorious chance to extend City’s lead in the 68th minute when he blasted over the bar. Substitute Lewis Ncube rattled the cross bar seven minutes before the end after being given a chance to have a shot at goal.

Meanwhile, Ngezi Platinum coach, Clifton Kadurira was a happy man after his side overcame Tsholotsho 2-0 in a match played at White City Stadium.
Ngezi lost to Hwange and FC Platinum 2-0 and 1-0 respectively but Kadurira felt their hard work had finally paid off.

The visitors were the better team from the start as their play was more coordinated, showing more hunger for goal from the first whistle.
While both teams managed to create chances in the first half, it was Ngezi who were more purposeful and they finally got it right four minutes into the second half when Evans Katema’s overhead kick met Tichaona Mabvura on the far right, who pushed the ball, before releasing a thunderbolt that beat Nickell Marichi in goals for Tsholotsho.

Ngezi got their second in the 64th minute when Marichi misjudged Innocent Sokosi’s curving shot from the left flank which hit the inside of the far post before sailing in.

Teams
Tsholotsho: N Marichi, M Phiri, N Moyo (N Gama, 74th), T Ncube, W Stima, B Ncube, K Chitiyo, B Madanhire, J Luphahla, (S Gorogodyo, 56th), M Ponyera, D Chivandire (B Sibanda 61st)
Ngezi Platinum: B Mwandimutsira, K Murepa, L Chakoroma, K Manchona, J Marufu, Z Mhanda (T Chambono, 71st), J Nguluve (D Kamunjega, 90th) E Katema, T Mabvura, I Sokosi (M Emmanuel, 87th)

Chicken Inn: Pride Zendera, Moses Jackson, Passmore Bernard, George Majika(Goredema 55 minutes), Lawrence Mhlanga, Devine Lunga, Clemence Matawu, Obadiah Tarumbwa(Lawe 79 minutes), Danny Phiri, Michelle Katsvairo, Edmore Chirambadare
Bulawayo City: Ndodana Sibanda, Nyasha Mukumbi, Proud Zireni, Terence Majo, Zibusio Sibanda, Brain Chikwenya, Xolisani Moyo, Eddie Nkhulungo, Innocent Kutsanzira(Ncube 51 minutes), Emmanuel Mandiranga (Dube 67 minutes) Mkhokheli Dube