adminLovemore Zigara Sports Correspondent
Chapungu 3-1 Chicken Inn
CHAPUNGU maintained their unbeaten home record after coming from behind to subdue a determined Chicken Inn 3-1 in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Ascot Stadium.
The visitors opened the scoring in 36th minute through Ishmael Lawe before the airmen came guns blazing in the second half and got their goals through Maxwell Mavuto, Charles Murisa and a Passmore Bernard own goal.
After an uninspiring first half in which the hosts were left chasing shadows on a windy afternoon as Chicken Inn took control of the proceedings in the midfield where the midfield trio of Clement Matawu, Brian Juru and Danny Phiri suffocated the Chapungu supply line who had to rely on ineffective long balls.
It was the Gamecocks who took the first initiative and were duly rewarded in the 36th minute when Bheki Ncube beat his marker and fired from outside the box.
Chapungu goalkeeper Alexander Useni spilled the ball and fell on an alert Lawe who made no mistake from close range.
“Waru Waru” came back in the second half with purpose and aided by the wind, the airmen virtually camped in the opposition’s half where they threatened to overrun their opponents.
The hosts could have surged ahead in the 51st Murisa when a Ngoni Murisa pin point cross was connected first time by his twin brother Charles but his effort went over the bar.
After a glut of missed chances Chapungu finally came right in the 70th minute when former Tripple B striker Maxwell Mavuto gained possession just outside the box before unleashing a scorcher which Elvis Chipezeze could only watch ball nestling in the bottom left corner of the upright into the nets.
The goal touched wild celebrations among the home fans.
Hardly had the celebrations died down when Chapungu were awarded a penalty in the 75th minute when referee Munyaradzi Majoni adjudged that Gift Phiri had been hacked down in the box by Passmore Bernard in a close call.
Chicken Inn players hotly disputed the referee’s decision and not before Matawu had approached coach Joey Antipas at the bench raising suspicion that he could have been handed over “juju.”
Matawu then charged towards the match ball but was mobbed by Chapungu players who blocked him from having anything to do with the ball.
Up stepped Charles Murisa in the 78th minute sending Chipezeze the wrong way to give the hosts the lead.
After the Murisa penalty the airmen were on song and piled more misery in 85th minute as an under pressure Bernard under challenge from Farai Manase turned villain once again when he put the ball into his own nets after Philip Marufu delivered an inviting cross.
John Nyikadzino, the Chapungu coach, paid tribute charges for taking the game to their opponents in the second half.
“I told the boys to go an attack in the second half and attack they did and I am happy the boys came out with a positive result,” said the Chapungu mentor who conceded that his charges had a pathetic first half.
His counterpart Joey Antipas said the turning point of the match was the penalty awarded to the hosts.
“The key moment was a penalty and that was a dodgy. I feel it should not have been given as a penalty and again we were playing at a disadvantage since Chapungu had the advantage of the wind.”
Teams
Chapungu: Alexander Useni, William Ngonya, Liberty Kimu, Collen Kwaramba, Blessing Zabula, Ngonidzashe Murisa, Gift Phiri, Charles Murisa (F Manase 80 min), Maxwell Mavuto, Victor Bangira (C Maheya 80 min), Brighton Mugoni (P Marufu 55 min) Chicken Inn: Elvis Chipezeze, Moses Jackson, Brian Mbiriri, John Bernard, Lawrence Mhlanga, Brian Juru, Danny Phiri, Clement Matawu (M Dube 83 min), Bheki Ncube, Thabani Goredema (T Banda 83 min), Ishmael Lawe
Online Reporter