Chicken Inn march to improbable glory

Mehluli Sibanda in Bulawayo
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
ZPC Kariba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(0) 1

Unlikely championship favourites Chicken Inn probably played one of their worst matches this season but still collected maximum points with a win over 10-man ZPC Kariba in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash at Luveve yesterday.

Goals in either half from Edmore Chirambadare and Guide Goddard saw Chicken Inn move to 46 points, five more than FC Platinum. Leonard Fiyado scored for ZPC Kariba, who finished the match with 10 players after Dexter Phiri was sent off by referee Mlindeli Ndebele for a second bookable offence. It was Chirambadare’s ninth goal of the season, but his first since June 6 in the 2-1 victory over Chapungu in Gweru. The left-footed striker is now a goal behind leading marksman Knox Mutizwa of Highlanders. The match was a dull affair in the first half without clear goal-scoring opportunities from either team. It was Chicken Inn who had the first shot at goal with 23 minutes played, Chirambadare forcing a superb save out of Tendai Hove in goals for the visitors.

The home side opened the scoring on 43 minutes, Chirambadare finding the target with a header off a freekick taken by Passmore Bernard. Michelle Katsvairo wasted a glorious opportunity to double the advantage for the Gamecocks when he controlled a pass inside the box only for his shot to go over. Whatever former Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa told his ZPC Kariba players during the halftime break worked wonders because they came back a completely different side.

It took no time for them to find the equaliser, Fiyado’s glorious strike three minutes into the second half after taking full advantage of sloppy defending from Goddard and Moses Jackson, finding the back of the net. ZPC could have taken the lead in the 57th minute when Limited Chikafa fended off the challenge of Jackson but with Chipezeze to beat, he guided his effort wide.

Just as ZPC Kariba were looking likely to score their second goal, they were reduced to 10 men as Phiri was shown a red card in the 77th minute for a foul on Bernard.

And Goddard made up for his defensive blunder when he thumped the ball into the nets 11 minutes before the end.

Chidzambwa was not amused by the officiating. “We could have avoided the two goals by not giving away the two set pieces which resulted in goals. I don’t want to talk about the refereeing but it was pathetic, in this country when you talk about referees you get banned but the officiating is killing the game,” he said.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas conceded that they were not at their best — but three points is three points.