admin
Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
THE third Bulawayo Castle Lager Premier Soccer League derby is on this weekend at Luveve Stadium where Chicken Inn play host to How Mine in what is expected to be a thrilling encounter.It will be How Mine’s second derby of the season having been shocked with a 1-3 defeat by Bantu Rovers on Week Two.
Last Thursday, a last minute blunder by Highlanders’ goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya gifted Chicken Inn a point as they drew 1-1 with the Bulawayo giants.
On Saturday, besides bragging rights, maximum points at stake will definitely be a tonic for Chicken Inn and How Mine as they fight to keep up with the leading pack.
They meet for the third time since How Mine were promoted into the topflight last season. Chicken Inn won the first leg 1-0 before How Mine clobbered them 2-1 in the reverse fixture.
Chicken Inn, seventh on the log with nine points from six matches, trail their opponents who sit on position six by a point and a victory for the Gamecocks will see them moving up the ladder.
The fastfoods outlet-sponsored club has drawn thrice, lost once to Buffaloes in Mutare and collected maximum points against Harare City and Black Rhinos last weekend.
For Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas, the weekend encounter against How Mine is a “tight one” for them as they meet a side that has recovered from a slow start.
“Most of the derbies are lukewarm and at times they are scrappy affairs because everyone is cautious, making the game boring. However, I don’t think that will be the case against How Mine because they are on a roll which makes it a tight game for us because we have been drawing and only got our second win at the weekend. I think How Mine deserve respect for the form that they have hit and now it’s up to us to prepare accordingly and make sure that we get a positive result,” he said.
The former championship winning coach with Motor Action spoke about his team’s need to maintain consistency and avoid conceding unnecessarily.
The Gamecocks’ central defence of Charles Mutero and Ben Nyahunzvi looked unsettled when they took on Highlanders and with a player like Kuda Musharu of How Mine in form, Chicken Inn should be wary of the speedy striker who has banged in four league goals in six outings.
“It’s work in progress for us and we are working on improving with every passing game and I am happy that we kept a clean sheet against Black Rhinos. What we have to do is to try and avoid a lapse at the back and we must make use of the few chances that we create,” Antipas said.
Both Chicken Inn and How Mine have equally good players but an advantage that the goldminers have over their counterparts is that their players have gelled well as they had an early season start due to their Orange Caf Confederation Cup participation.
From their pre-season signings, Nyahunzvi, Ishmael Lawe, George Majika (scorer of the equalising goal against Highlanders) and Bhekimpilo Ncube have been regular players for the Gamecocks with Ramson Zhuwawo sitting out due to a delay in getting a reverse clearance.
Some of Chicken Inn’s players that How Mine should keep a close eye on are strikers Tendai Mukambi, Majika and Mkhokheli Dube, holding midfielder Danny “Deco” Phiri, veteran Clemence Matawu and Canaan Nkomo.
Chicken Inn will be without leftback Brian Mbiriri who is nursing an ankle injury.
How Mine have players who can equally stand their own against Chicken Inn in the form of Musharu, hardworking Menard Mupera, George Magariro, Brighton Dube, Nyasha Mukumbi, Morris Kadzola and Gilbert Banda.
They also have Benjamin Marere who is on a mission to revive his career, Heritein Masuku and James Chitereki who can add power to their attack.
How Mine coach Philani Ncube said: “Like I have said before we respect every team that is in the Premiership and we are always ready to fight for results. It won’t be easy against Chicken Inn because they want points as much as we do. I believe that the best team of the day is going to win.
“As we prepare, we do not read much into the matches that we have played because we do not want to be stuck in the past. What is important is to take each game as it comes and try to improve on our shortcomings from the last outing.
“The players are working hard and everyone wants to be in the team but we will see which ones can suit the game plan that we want to use”.
Dube and Chitereki were spotted having physiotherapy sessions at a city hospital yesterday with Ncube saying they would see how they respond to treatment by tomorrow.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Harare City v Triangle United (Rufaro, 3PM SS)
Saturday: Caps United v Black Rhinos (National Sports Stadium, 3PM SS), Chicken Inn v How Mine (Luveve), Chiredzi v Chapungu (Chishamiso)
Sunday: ZPC Kariba v Highlanders (Gwanzura, 3PM SS), Shabanie Mine v Dynamos (Maglas), Buffaloes v FC Platinum (Sakubva), Hwange v Bantu Rovers (Colliery)
Online Reporter