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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League title hopefuls Chicken Inn have written to the league seeking postponement of their Wednesday clash against FC Platinum set for Luveve Stadium saying they need time to assess players returning from national duty.
The Gamecocks want the much-awaited league encounter moved to either Thursday or Friday.
Chicken Inn’s players in the Warriors’ team that played against Lesotho in the African Nations Championship in Maseru yesterday are captain and midfielder Danny “Deco” Phiri, goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, defender Lawrence “Dazzy” Mhlanga and striker Edmore Chirambadare.
Chicken Inn spokesman Tavengwa Hara said they are still waiting for the PSL’s response.
“Our team has spent about two weeks without key players who’ve been on national duty. The game against FC Platinum is a crucial one and we need those players. Concerns we highlighted to the league are that the Warriors are coming back on Monday and from information we gathered, they’re coming via Harare. The players will then travel to Bulawayo by road and our technical team can only have a look at them on Tuesday, a day before the game. Surely, these boys deserve a rest and it’s only fair that even our coaches have two or so training sessions with them before the FC Platinum game,” said Hara.
Chicken Inn are four points ahead of FC Platinum with 52 points and the Week 26 fixture is crucial in the sense that it can shape the destination of the league title.
The Gamecocks are already without creative midfielder Raphael Kutinyu, who picked up an ankle injury in the first leg against Lesotho. He has a plaster and is unlikely to play any of the remaining matches.
Phiri travelled to Lesotho with a slight ankle knock and is one of the players that Chicken Inn are worried might aggravate his injury.
Phiri has been a vital cog for the ambitious Bulawayo side and they can’t afford to lose him at this stage of the season.
Another worry for the Gamecocks is that Chirambadare, whom they use as a centre forward, is being used as a winger in the national team, and adapting to his club’s style might need more than just a single training session.
Some of the replacements that Chicken Inn might be forced to make for the crucial FC Platinum game include bringing in Brian Juru for Phiri, Ben Nyahunzvi for Mhlanga at central defence, Pride Zendera for Chipezeze and Ishmael Lawe for Chirambadare.
FC Platinum only have Marshall Mudehwe and Brian Muzondiwa on national duty.
PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said there will be no more changing of match dates up to the end of the season.
Online Reporter