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CHICKEN Inn and FC Platinum are tomorrow set to engage in their 25th clash in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL), with the two outfits set to fight it out in one of this season’s Week Three fixtures at Luveve Stadium.
Since 2011, the two teams have so far played each other 24 times in the country’s elite football league action.
Pure Platinum Play has proved to be a dominant force, making Chicken Inn, who have equally boasted of talented players and tactfully gifted coaches, play second fiddle.
From the 24 matches that have been played by the two outfits, FC Platinum has won 11, five at home and six away.
On the other hand, Gamecocks have managed to post four victories over the platinum miners, two home and the same number away.
Nine ties ended in draws.
FC Platinum have managed to score 32 goals against Chicken Inn. The latter has found the back of the net 22 times against the former.
Two weeks into the 2025 campaign, FC Platinum have managed to collect four points from a possible six after playing a goalless draw against Simba Bhora and edging Manica Diamonds 1-0.
Gamecocks are yet to collect a full set of points after posting identical nil-all draws against Bikita Minerals and Yadah.
Norman Mapeza’s men will certainly go into tomorrow’s match with their tails up.
The Gamecocks technical team has demanded a more determined approach from their players if they are to collect maximum points.
Last season, in a first leg encounter that was played at Mandava Stadium, the two teams drew 2-2. The second leg encounter was played on July 28, 2024, at Luveve Stadium, and Chicken Inn thumped the platinum miners 2-0.
Defender Mpumelelo Bhebhe as well as supersub Genius Mutungamiri were on target for the Gamecocks.
By then, FC Platinum were the log leaders in a campaign that was eventually won by Simba Bhora.
With Bhebhe, Mutungamiri, captain Xolisani “Lolo” Ndlovu, Brian Muza, Michael Charamba, goalkeeper Donovan Bernard, George Majika, Elshamar Farasi, and new signings Miguel Fieldman, Tadiwa Muchenje, and Tinashe Mushaireni, among others, the Gamecocks are poised to match Mapeza’s men pound for pound.
“There are some players that have not played. We have been working on some combinations. There are some guys that now deserve to play; maybe they might make a difference for us,” said Antipas.
Also likely to be thrown into the fray by the Simbisa Brands outfit are Kumbirai Nyamutenha, Edward Musena, Walter Vuwa, and Vincent Mugande.
Malawian striker Vincent Nyangulu, who scored a last-gasp winner as FC Platinum defeated Manica Diamonds 1-0 last weekend, ex-Chicken Inn midfielder Shepherd Mhlanga, defender Mbongeni “Mbola” Ndlovu, Brian Banda, and Oscar Bhebhe will be expected to play a crucial role in FC Platinum’s quest to overcome Gamecocks in their own backyard.
Online Reporter