Chronicle Editor
Oscar Rusenga in Triangle
Manica 0-2 Chicken Inn
MANICA Diamonds scuppered their winning streak at home yesterday when they fell to former champions Chicken Inn who demonstrated superiority in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Gibbo.
Goals from Bret Amidu and Premiership top-goal-scorer Clive Augusto were enough to help Joey Antipas and his side recover from back-to-back defeats against FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Manica gaffer Luke Masomere conceded Chicken Inn were the better side but felt they could have done better if they were clinical in front of goals.
“I think it was a game of two halves. We created chances in the second half but we could not convert even the simplest of chances. Chicken Inn were more organised and they deserved to win.
“We are also starting to feel fatigued with lot of travelling and we feel it’s high time we start using our home ground in Rusape,” he said.
Manica were forced to switch to Gibbo after their home ground failed the test. They were the first to threaten the visitors’ goal but Ishmael Lawe’s header from Stephen Sibanda cross on the near post was pushed out for a corner by London Donovan in the 27th minute.
Chicken Inn were ahead five minutes later when Bret Amidu headed home to beat Jorum Muchambo on the blind side.
Valentine Kadonzvo who was lively in the first half saw his shot from acute angle just over the bar in the 39th minute as Chicken Inn continued dominating proceedings.
Manica had their chance to equalise but Lawe header from Patson Jaure freekick on the 43rd minute went just wide with Donovan beaten.
Chicken Inn could have gone to the breather two nil up but Amidu’s rasping effort was acrobatically blocked by Muchambo who is in the form of his life on the cusp of halftime.
Clive Augusto scored Chicken Inn’s second in the 59th minute benefitting from an assist by left back Xolani Ndlovu after total passing football from the gamecocks with Clemence Matawu and Tichaona dictating pace in the middle of the park. That was Augusto’s fifth in six games as the former Ngezi star leads the top goalscorers’ chart.
Manica could have pulled one back in the 67th minute but Stephen Sibanda’s curling effort brushed the top side of the crossbar with the keeper beaten after a defensive mix-up by the visitors defence.
Chicken Inn are real title contenders and with the way they displayed yesterday they have enough ammunition to go for honours and their coach Antipas was ecstatic after the win.
Online Reporter