Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
LOG leaders Chicken Inn will be without key defender Nielson Ketala when they host championship contenders Manica Diamonds in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Luveve Stadium tomorrow.
25-year-old Ketala who joined from Ngezi Platinum Stars, has established himself as a cog in the Gamecocks’ backline and misses tomorrow’s clash through suspension.
The gritty central defender, who is also comfortable at left-back, picked up three yellow cards.
With Chicken Inn enjoying great form, coach Joey Antipas would have wanted Ketala present for the crunch tie against a fairly good Manica Diamonds, who are fourth with 18 points from nine games. Chicken Inn are on 22 points.
Antipas will tweak his defence and could shift from the 3-5-2 formation, which they have been using, to a 4-4-2, with skipper Moses Jackson partnering Itai Mabhunu in central defence, and deploying veteran Passmore Bernard and Xolani Ndlovu as wingbacks.
“As a coach you don’t want to change a winning team, but due to suspension, we will be without Ketala. It’s a blow, but it’s also an opportunity for another player to come in and show their worth.
“Besides the Ketala setback, we have a clean bill of health, which is great because we want to try and continue with our fine march. We know that Manica Diamonds are a good side with experience and they are doing well in the league, but the lads are geared up for the encounter,” said Antipas.
Chicken Inn and Manica Diamonds are facing each other for the third time, with the latter having been promoted into the topflight in 2019. In their first meeting in Bulawayo, Manica Diamonds won 2-0, with the Gamecocks winning the reverse fixture in Mutare by a similar margin.
Manica Diamonds gaffer Johanisi Nhumwa said their clash with the Gamecocks is any man’s game and the better team on the day will walk away with bragging rights.
“It is likely to be an entertaining encounter judging by the form of both teams. Chicken Inn are playing some good football and we are also playing some good football. This is why I say it promises to be an exciting encounter,” Nhumwa said.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Chicken Inn v Manica Diamonds (Luveve), Yadah v Herentals College (Baobab), FC Platinum v Whawha (Mandava), Cranborne Bullets v Bulawayo City (Sakubva), ZPC Kariba v Harare City (Nyamhunga)
Sunday: Bulawayo Chiefs v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Luveve), Triangle United v Highlanders (Gibbo), Tenax v Caps United (Sakubva), Dynamos v Black Rhinos (National Sports Stadium)
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Chicken Inn 9 7 1 1 14 4 10 22
Dynamos 9 6 1 2 11 3 8 19
Triangle United 9 6 1 2 15 8 7 19
Manica 9 5 3 1 18 8 10 18
Ngezi Platinum 9 4 3 2 13 5 8 15
Caps United 9 3 5 1 14 10 4 14
Herentals 9 4 2 3 12 13 -1 14
FC Platinum 9 3 4 2 10 6 44 13
Black Rhinos 9 3 4 2 10 6 4 13
Highlanders 9 3 3 3 10 5 5 12
Harare City 9 2 4 3 6 7 -1 10
Bulawayo Chiefs 9 2 3 4 6 8 -2 9
Tenax 9 2 3 4 7 16 -9 9
ZPC Kariba 9 1 4 4 4 9 -5 7
Cranborne 9 1 3 5 7 14 -7 6
Bulawayo City 9 1 3 5 7 17 -10 6
Yadah 9 0 5 4 3 9 -6 5
Whawha 9 1 2 6 9 27 -18 5
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