Chicken Inn unveils new kits

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
CHICKEN Inn FC has unveiled three new kits ahead of their Chibuku Super Cup clash with Bulawayo City FC at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow.

The Chibuku Super Cup was suspended in July following a spike in Covid-19 cases, and resumes with midweek encounters, as the Premier Soccer League (PSL) pushes to complete the tournament, which is being used as a curtain raiser to the new league season that kicks off next month.

Chicken Inn jointly lead Group B with Hihghlanders on seven points from three games and will be hoping to complete a double over City, who they beat 2-0 in the first-leg. City and Bulawayo Chiefs have a point each after losing twice and drawing once.

Joey Antipas, the Chicken Inn head coach, said they are gunning for three points to secure a quarter-final ticket.

He is, however, aware that the battle for maximum points will be tough, as their opponents have also been planning for their downfall.

“Talk about the Zimbabwean football season, it’s been a year of starts and stops. So, we now start the Chibuku Super Cup against Bulawayo City we’re hoping to progress to the next stage from the three group matches we have. We need to get three points and progress to the quarter-finals. It won’t be easy because all the teams are starting from scratch, starting more or less at the same time. It’s anyone’s game, but our focus is on going as far as possible in the Chibuku Super Cup,” said Antipas.

“We know all our games are derbies, so it’s going to be fierce, but we need to get ourselves ready for Bulawayo City, then a rejuvenated Highlanders at the weekend and Bulawayo Chiefs next week,” he said.

Advancing to the next stage of the tournament will put Chicken Inn in the limelight and with their strategy of marketing young players to foreign teams, for them the more games they play, the more visible they will be.

Speaking at the kit unveiling yesterday, Chicken Inn secretary Tawengwa Hara said they are now focused on competing for honours.

The Gamecocks’ players paraded the Kelme brand home red tops and white shorts, the yellow tops and black shorts for away matches as well as an all-white alternative kit.

Each player was also given travelling bags, satchels, trainers, push-ins, travelling t-shirts, training vests and tracksuits as part of the deal.

One of Chicken Inn’s partners Nicoz Diamond also presented formal wear to the Gamecocks, a black blazer and khaki pants that the team may use as travelling gear or for official ceremonies.

“Thank you to all our partners for making us smart and improving our wardrobe. You’ll notice that we’ve gone back to promoting junior players. We want to win everything, improve our marketing, improve on selling players and that’s why you’ll see more of our junior players in the team,” said Hara.

Chicken Inn FC chairman Juta Tshuma said: “A big thank you to Kelme China, for believing in the Chicken Inn brand many miles away by sponsoring our home and away kits. We would like to thank our main sponsor and funder Simbisa Brands, who despite economic challenges have met our needs. We also unveil for the first time Chicken Inn FC formal wear in partnership with Nicoz Diamond.”

Winger George Majika expressed excitement at the resumption of games, saying the players are itching for action.

“All players are looking forward to starting work. It has been long since we last played competitively, but we’ve managed to keep ourselves fit by doing individual training. The mood is fantastic, the guys really want to kick-off from where we left and if we proceed to the quarter-finals, which we know we can do, we have to work harder in the next stage,” Majika said.

Chibuku Super Cup fixtures
Tomorrow
(Group 1): Herentals vs ZPC Kariba (National Sports Stadium, 11am), Dynamos vs Yadah (National Sports Stadium, 3pm)

(Groups 2,3 and 4): Cranborne Bullets vs Manica Diamonds (Sakubva, 11am), Triangle United vs Ngezi Platinum Stars (Mandava, 11am), Chicken Inn vs Bulawayo City (Barbourfields Stadium, 1pm), FC Platinum vs Whawha (Mandava, 3pm), Black Rhinos vs Tenax CS FC (Sakubva, 3pm)

Thursday: Highlanders vs Bulawayo Chiefs (Barbourfields Stadium, 1pm)
— @ZililoR