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Chicken Inn 0-0 Caps United
Caps United and Chicken Inn played out a goalless draw at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday, with both sides remaining unbeaten this season.
Caps United maintained their position at the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League with 12 points, while Chicken Inn slipped down to 10th place with eight points.
Chicken Inn coach, Prince Matore, was disappointed with the decision of an assistant referee to rule out an apparently genuine goal by Michael Charamba, and said his side needed to improve their finishing.
“We scored, but we didn’t get three points, the assistant referee said it was an offside, but we saw that it was a genuine goal. We missed our chances that should have wrapped the contest. We need to improve on a few things like urgency going forward and converting our chances.
“Otherwise defensively we were good considering that in our last game against Bulawayo Chiefs we conceded two goals, which is good for the team and now we have to work on our finishing to complement that,” said Matore.
Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe praised both teams for a good game of football, but admitted his charges were not at their best.
“I thought it was a very good game of football. Both sets of players gave their best. I’m happy with the application, but I’m disappointed that we were a bit slow in everything we were doing. Our creation of chances was not as good as we anticipated.
“One way or another, we couldn’t produce the kind of performances we normally have and it was bound to happen,” said Chitembwe.
Both sides started the match at a pulsating pace, going pound for pound.
It was Chicken Inn who had the first attempt at goal in the seventh minute when Charamba turned his marker on the right edge of the box before his left foot shot hit the upright with Caps United goalkeeper, Tonderai Mateyaunga, beaten.
Just after the quarter-hour mark, Caps United right back Godknows Murwira overlapped to send in a delightful cross that veteran Rodwell Chinyengetere failed to direct on target.
In the 20th minute, Chicken Inn’s George Majika’s fluffed a perfect delivery as he headed Charamba’s delivery off-target.
Sensing danger, Chitembwe pulled out left back Lyncolyn Mangaya for Josiah Daka to close the avenue Chicken Inn had opened on the right side in the 27th minute.
Nine minutes later, Chicken Inn’s goalkeeper Donovan Bernard almost gifted Caps United a goal after his pass intended for central defender Dominic Jaricha was intercepted by striker William Manondo, but the 2022 Top Goal Scorer failed to punish the home side.
Scoring chances fell for both sides, with Murwira twice forcing Bernard to punch the ball to safety from well-hit strikes.
Just like in the first half, none of the sides managed to breach each other’s backline in the second half.
Online Reporter