adminSikhumbuzo Moyo in BULAWAYO
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
BESIDES the two headed goals at Hartsfield yesterday, there was nothing to write home about with both coaches agreeing that the affair was scrappy.
It was the visitors who were first on the scoresheet through veteran Hardlife Muvindi in the 14th minute, but as they were still celebrating, the hosts equalised.
The hosts are yet to lose a match in nine league matches. Centre-back Lawrence Mhlanga overlapped and did justice to a speculative cross, for the equaliser.
The two teams took turns to size each other, especially in the middle of the park, where Thabani Goredema, for the home side, imposed himself and intimidated the visitors with his hard and sometimes crude tackles.
With the two teams going to the break tied, the second half saw some bit of action as the home side, winners over struggling Highlanders on Sunday, tried to push for the second goal. Both teams made early second half substitutions, Chicken Inn taking out George Majika for Toto Banda while Triangle pulled out Nhamo Lameck for Bosso reject Tinashe Chipunza.
It was, however, veteran Clemence Matawu who was gifted with a perfect chance to put his side ahead when he broke through the visitors’ defence in the 56th minute and went for the kill, only for Ronald Mudimu to make a good save.
Action then swung from one end to the other, although without any meaningful build-ups.
So boring was the match that Chicken Inn players even found time to listen to conversation from journalists who were talking about the fall from grace of Highlanders, who were then losing 1-2 to Hwange at the Colliery.
Despite the substitutions, there was nothing much in this game until the referee, Philani Ncube blew to end this contest.
“It’s a good result for us, we are not far off from the rest of the teams fighting relegation. The match was rather scrappy and we did not play our usual game, we now need to make full use of our last three home games,” said Triangle coach Biggie Zuze.
His counterpart, Joey Antipas, said fatigue and injuries probably affected them.
“We needed all the three points but such is the nature of the game, a bit scrappy and that prevented us from playing our usual game,” said Antipas.
Triangle have now picked four points, in two matches, since they were linked with former Bosso coach, Kelvin Kaindu, with reports indicating that he is now their technical adviser.
Meanwhile, Kaindu escaped unhurt from a car crash on his way to Bulawayo from Triangle yesterday.
Teams
Chicken Inn: E Chipezeze, J Bernard, B Mbiriri, I Lawe (M Dube 64th min), M Jackson, B Juru, C Matawu (C Nkomo 84th min), B Ncube, T Goredema, G Majika (T Banda 46th min), L Mhlanga
Triangle: R Mudimu, B Juwayeyi, J Tigere, W Mapfumo, C Ngongonga, C Rukkianhi (R Kawondera 70th min), C Kamhapa, H Muvindi, F Kuswatuka, O Bakacheza( C Denias 63rd min), N Lameck (T Chipunza 46th min)
Online Reporter