Caps edge Chicken Inn

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
Chicken Inn 1-2 Caps United
CHICKEN Inn succumbed to two first half goals despite a spirited performance in the second stanza in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie played at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

A dubious penalty and a blunder by the Chicken Inn defence gifted Caps the match, while the hosts fought in vain to claw back into the game.

Caps were awarded a penalty five minutes into the game by referee Nkosana Nduna in an incident that did not seem to warrant a foul, with defender Last Sithole and forward Wisdom Mutasa clashing in a 50/50 challenge outside the box.

Mutasa went down and Nduna surprised everyone by pointing to the spot. Veteran Joel Ngodzo stepped up to convert the spot kick.

The early goal disoriented the home side and Caps piled on more pressure and were rewarded in the 43rd minute when Passmore Bernard failed to clear the ball and was dispossessed inside his box.

Although goalkeeper Pride Zendera blocked the first attempt, he could do nothing to stop Mutasa from slotting in the rebound.

The GameCocks came back a rejuvenated side in the second half, but only had one goal to show for it in the 55th minute when Obriel Chirinda laid a pass to the advancing Innocent Mucheneka who blasted it past a static Prosper Chigumba guarding the posts for Caps.

Despite continued dominance by Chicken Inn, they missed a glut of chances to level the scoreline.

Chicken Inn gaffer Joey Antipas was irked by the decision to award the early penalty, saying it should not have been a foul in the first place. It was a game of two halves, with Caps playing better than us in the first half while we came much stronger in the second half. We had the chance to get a draw or even win the match, but if you waste chances then you don’t win games,” said Antipas.

Caps coach Lloyd Chitembwe was happy with the way his players managed to apply the technical and tactical elements of their game plan in the first half while acknowledging that they did not play so well in the second half.

Teams
Chicken Inn: P Zendera, P Bernard, B Nyahunzwi, G Majika (J Nyabinde 58th minute), M Jackson, S Munawa, O Chirinda, I Mucheneka, D Nyandoro (N Mutatiwa 69th minute), C Matawu (O Tarumbwa 79th minute), L Sithole

Caps: P Chigumba, M Ncube, C Munzabwa, S Makatuka, M Mwanjale, C Kamhapa, V Musarurwa, J Ngodzo, T Chiunye (B Muzondiwa 60th minute), D Mukandi, W Mutasa (A Chidiebere 90th minute)