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Fungai Muderere at Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo
Chicken Inn 0-0 Cranborne Bullets
FORMER Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn played their eighth draw of the season when they were held by relegation threatened Cranborne Bullets in a match played at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
It was a development that took Gamecocks’ points tally to 33, nine behind log leaders Highlanders who were yesterday handed their first defeat of the season by the league’s four-time champions FC Platinum.
In his post-match interview, Chicken Inn head coach Prince Matore reckoned they dropped two crucial points at home.
“We dropped two precious points. We wanted to utilise home advantage and get the maximum points. However, we knew it was not going to be an easy match. We tried everything we could have done but nothing came out. We need to try and get clinical in front of goal. I’m happy that we are still in the championship chasing pack,” said Matore.
His opposite number, Nesbert Saruchera was ecstatic about the point they gained.
They are now on 18 points, two behind 15th placed Sheasham who are due to take on Yadah Stars this afternoon at Baobab Stadium.
“I’m very happy about the point we got. It’s a big achievement for us. The boys had good fighting spirit, they fought so hard and I think we are moving in the right direction to survive relegation. We are actually dangerous in the second half of the season. Cranborne Bullets is here to stay,” declared Saruchera after a balanced encounter that saw the two antagonists match each other pound for pound with fierce battles being fought in the middle of the park.
With the clubs still weighing each other, in the 27th minute Malvin Hwata failed to make it count for the hosts. This was after a neat of exchange of passes among Gamecocks players that included skillful George Majika, fast improving rightback Dumoluhle Lunga, Clive Dzingai and Genious Mutungamiri.
Two minutes later, Hwata was left cursing his football gods as his first-time thunderbolt from the edge of the box missed the target by a whisker. He had got to an end off a Majika cheeky overhead kick.
With the home side still pressing forward, in the 32nd minute Michael Charamba watched in disbelief when his rocket from inside the 18-yard box was punched for a corner by an alert Bullets goalkeeper Victor Jabangwe.
Three minutes later, Chicken Inn goalminder Donovan Bernard, was twice called into action by Malvern Madzuka whose long-range effort from a distance were saved by the goalkeeper.
In the 38th minute, Cranborne Bullets’ Kingsley Mureremba failed to beat a diving Bernard in a one-on-one situation.
After the breather, action swung from one end to the other.
On the hour mark, ex-Chicken Inn left footed defender Nyasha Gurunde was unlucky not to make it count for the visitors after his well taken long range strike was punched back into play by Bernard and there were no takers from the Cranborne Bullets camp to bury the ball home.
Teams
Chicken Inn: D Bernard, M Hwata, M Charamba ( Malajila 74th minute), M Bhebhe, R Hachiro, N Ketala, G Mutunmgamiri, D Lunga, C Dzingai (Augusto 62nd minute) X Ndlovu, M Majika (T Kutinyu 62nd minute)
Cranborne Bullets: V Jabangwe, N Kupara, M Namakhoma N Gurende, K Dongo A Ngwenya, W Taderera, M Mudzuku, K Mureremba, M Vincent, A Makuwerere (Zinyama 88th minute)
Online Reporter