Gamecocks likely to field new look side

Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter

CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League side Chicken Inn are today expected to field a new look side when they take on CAPS United at Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo.

Last Thursday, the Gamecocks officially announced their capture of unheralded striker Albert “Zouma” Nyamutsaka.
Aged 27, Nyamutsaka previously played for Zifa Northern Region Division One side Golden Eagles.
He also had a brief stint at Gaborone United of Botswana. He comes to the Gamecocks family at a time when they have since parted ways with seasoned forward Clive Augusto.

The 2015 league champions have since registered midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu and Mpumelelo Bhebhe in the on-going second transfer- window which opened on 1 July and is expected to close at the end of the month.

“The lack of goals affected Augusto. It’s the second-half of the season, we need to rise to the occasion and start getting more desired results. We will not read much on the challenges CAPS United faced during the build-up of the match. We will see how we will play it around after having registered new faces,” said coach Joey Antipas.
Nyamutsaka was identified to be Augusto’s direct replacement.

Kutinyu has since recovered from a nose injury he suffered earlier on this season.
Bhebhe was briefly out of the country and he recently retraced his steps to Gamecocks to give Antipas and his assistants cover at the back where club captain Xolani Ndlovu and Arthur Chirinda have played their hearts out to give cover to Warriors goalkeeper Donovan Bernard.

Nyamutsaka, who was formerly with Gaborone United (GU) and also did duty for Northern Region Division side Golden Eagles, will be expected to form a good partnership with seasoned Brian Muza and Malvin Hwata upfront to justify his signing and Gamecocks’ dropping of Augusto.

Augusto re-joined Gamecocks from CAPS United in May 2022.
In 2019, Chicken Inn sold Augusto to Maritzburg United, with the player signing a three-year deal with the South Africa Premiership side.

Despite leaving the Gamecocks mid-season, Augusto was still able to win the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Golden Boot after scoring 14 goals.
Augusto failed to replicate the same form in South Africa and was offloaded by Maritzburg United and ended up at Uthongathi.

He joined CAPS United in 2021.- @FungaiMuderere