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Ricky Zililo and Paul Mundandi Sports Reporters
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League title contenders Chicken Inn will decide this morning whether to field returning national team players for their epic league clash against FC Platinum at Luveve Stadium this afternoon.
The quartet of midfielder and captain Danny “Deco” Phiri, defender Lawrence “Dazzy” Mhlanga, goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze and the league’s joint top goal scorer Edmore Chirambadare arrived in Bulawayo yesterday from Lesotho via Harare.
They were part of the Warriors’ squad that qualified for next year’s African Nations Championship (Chan) finals to be held in Rwanda after knocking out Lesotho in Maseru on Sunday.
Fatigue has taken its toll on the four Gamecocks’ players and they all had an ice bath yesterday, a process meant to relieve muscle soreness.
“The good thing is that none of us picked up injuries in Lesotho, but the problem is that we’re tired. However, we’ve had an ice bath and hope this will speed up our recovery. If the coaches feel we’re in good shape to play, we’ll play because we want to help the team win this crucial game,” said Phiri.
Although the Gamecocks’ skipper sounded upbeat, his coach Joey Antipas said he was worried about the four players’ state of mind and fitness.
Antipas felt that both the PSL and Zifa had violated the spirit of fair play by making them play today’s important match.
“I think the authorities are being unfair taking into consideration that we only got the four players for about two hours before getting involved in a crucial game because of national duty. This Chan qualifier falls outside the Fifa calendar and my question is, how many clubs in future will be willing to risk their players for national duty when they’re faced with tricky domestic matches like we do?” said Antipas.
The former championship winning coach with Motor Action is livid that the PSL declined to postpone the match.
“We’re not being cry babies, but the least that they could’ve done was to move the match by a day or two,” said Antipas.
“As heartless as the authorities are, we’re going to play even though we’ve been disadvantaged. Will I play the players who are coming from the national team? I don’t know; it’s a decision that we’ve to make tomorrow morning after seeing how they’ve recovered,” he said.
Chicken Inn will also be without playmaker Tafadzwa Kutinyu and Guide Goddard due to injury, as well as midfielder Thabani Goredema through suspension.
Kutinyu has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after cracking an ankle bone in the first leg of the Chan qualifier against Lesotho at Barbourfields Stadium on October 18.
Chicken Inn’s opponents FC Platinum have had the luxury of retaining almost their entire squad during the two weeks’ league break. Only winger Marshall Mudehwe and Brian Muzondiwa were away with the Warriors. But they will also be without forceful striker Tarisai Rukanda who is injured.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza said the game against Chicken Inn was one of their most important of the season and they were feeling positive ahead of the clash.
“It’s one of the most important games for us, but we’ll not give it special treatment and will treat it as any of our league matches. We’ll play our normal game and hope to emerge with a positive result,” said Mapeza.
FC Platinum have never beaten Chicken Inn in Bulawayo, but Mapeza says he will not dwell on history.
“There are some other games FC Platinum had never won, for example, against Chapungu, Hwange and Highlanders. When I joined FC Platinum, we beat Hwange and Highlanders in their own backyards.
“We’re working hard. You never know, history can be changed, but we’re going to Bulawayo to play well and get a positive result. Football is played over 90 minutes. Physically and mentally, they (Chicken Inn) are a very strong side, but we’ll see how it goes. We’re not talking much about winning the league. It’s other people’s opinions. We’re leaving everything in God’s hands.
“When we started, there was a lot of pressure because the team wasn’t winning, but now everybody is talking about us so we’ve to remain grounded. God is the only person who knows our destiny. We appreciate the fans’ support and we need them to come Wednesday. I heard people saying that they need four or five buses to go to Chicken Inn, but it’s not about four or five buses, but about their voice at the end of the day,” Mapeza said.
Following a slow start to the season, Mapeza has gone for 16 games without tasting defeat in the league. He last lost a match against Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium in Week 9.
Mapeza has urged his boys to shift their focus from results by other teams and instead concentrate on getting positive results.
There is stiff competition at Platinum with every player fighting for a first team place.
Brian Muzondiwa, Zambian import Obrey Chirwa, Gerald Takwara, Winston Mhango, goalkeeper Petros Mhari, the Moyo twins Kelvin and Elvis and veteran Gift Bello are all on song and will be key in today’s encounter.
Despite losing the likes of Walter Musona, Wisdom Mutasa, Donald Ngoma, Thabani Kamusoko and Aaron Katebe during the transfer window, the platinum miners are still dangerous.
Chicken Inn, FC Platinum head-to-head
2011: FC Platinum 1-1 Chicken Inn (first leg); Chicken Inn 1-1 FC Platinum (second leg)
2012: Chicken Inn 1-1 FC Platinum (first leg); FC Platinum 1-1 Chicken Inn (second leg)
2013: FC Platinum 2-1 Chicken Inn (first leg); Chicken Inn 2-0 FC Platinum (second leg)
2014: Chicken Inn 2-2 FC Platinum (first leg); FC Platinum 2-0 Chicken Inn (second leg)
2015: FC Platinum 1-3 Chicken Inn (first leg); Chicken Inn ?-? FC Platinum (second leg)
Chicken Inn, FC Platinum head-to-head table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Chicken Inn 9 2 5 2 12 11 1 11
FC Platinum 9 2 5 2 11 12 -1 11
PSL Week 26 Fixtures
Today: Chapungu v Highlanders (Ascot), Chicken Inn v FC Platinum (Luveve)
Sunday: Caps United v Triangle United (National Sports Stadium, SuperSport, 3PM)
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Chicken Inn 25 16 4 5 37 18 19 52
FC Platinum 25 14 6 5 46 19 27 48
Dynamos 26 12 11 3 30 18 12 47
Triangle 25 10 8 7 36 21 15 38
Hwange 27 9 11 6 27 23 4 38
Harare City 26 8 13 5 26 20 6 37
Caps United 25 9 10 6 20 19 1 37
Chapungu 25 9 8 8 24 23 1 35
ZPC Kariba 26 8 9 9 35 32 3 33
How Mine 26 8 9 9 28 30 -2 33
Highlanders 25 8 7 10 29 26 3 31
Tsholotsho 26 5 11 10 16 26 -10 26
Buffaloes 26 5 11 10 20 36 -16 26
Flame Lily 26 4 11 11 21 31 -10 23
Whawha 26 4 8 14 13 45 -32 20
Dongo Sawmill 26 3 9 14 14 35 -21 18
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