adminIn the second minute of the four minutes of added time, Hwange defender Maqhawe Mpofu picked up a loose ball on the right flank and sent in a harmless looking cross which surprisingly troubled the robust Chicken Inn defence whose players took turns to aimlessly head the ball into the air, leaving Zulu with the gifted opportunity of ghosting in to head home from close range.
With his defenders in a rare sleep mode, dreadlocked goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni should shoulder more blame as he became a spectator and in the end contributed to the donation of a point to Hwange, whose fans had clearly resigned to their fate of defeat.
Chicken Inn head coach Adam Ndlovu after the game lamented how his defence, well marshalled by Felix Chindungwe the entire match had let Hwange off the hook right at the end of a game they had clearly dominated. “I am not happy with the result as our defence clearly gifted the hosts a point. It was clear we deserved the three points but it was not to be as we conceded a late and soft goal.” he said.
Hwange coach Nation Dube looked very relieved and was still muttering a soft prayer as he gave a post-match comment.
The visitors had taken the lead through Lineance “Qobho” Mpofu in the 14th minute who banged home from close range after coming at the end of a clever flick by Thabani Kamusoko.
Chicken Inn did not stop there as they continued to attack Hwange and had it not been a bad day in the office for the usually reliable striker Evans Chikwaikwai, Hwange could have gone to the break trailing by an embarrassing scoreline.
He missed three good opportunities in the 20th, 23rd and 37th minutes to douse the coal embers as the visitors embarked on some lovely build-ups which revolved around goal-scorer Mpofu and Makhosi Ncube.
The hosts’ first realistic chance at goal came in the 25th minute when big striker Francisco Zvikumbawire unleashed a blistering pile driver from the edge of the box which however found Njabulo Nyoni alert.
Another chance to draw level presented itself for Hwange on the stroke of half time but the evergreen captain Rodwell Chinyengetere’s flashing header, off a curling Ocean Mpofu freekick, sailed over the bar with Nyoni a beaten man.
Hwange came back from the breather with guns blazing and it took only two minutes for Chinyengetere to force a top drawer save from Nyoni who went airborne to push his dipping volley over the bar for a corner kick.
In a swift response, Chikwaikwai again continued with his script of missed chances when he skied his effort from a few metres out in a goalmouth melee.
Sensing that Chicken Inn had travelled from Bulawayo for serious business, the Hwange bench then made a double substitution, bringing in Tawanda Mareya and Evans Rusike for Zvikumbawire and Allan Tavarwisa respectively, but the duo could not make any impact as Chindungwe, Guide Goddard defended for dear life.
Meanwhile, Caps United were held to a goalless draw by Buffaloes yesterday.
Teams
Hwange: T Sibanda, E Chipeta (M Mpofu 45th minute), M Mungadze, G Ndlovu, O Mpofu, D Kamunhenga, R Chinyengetere, D Boriwondo, G Zulu, F Zvikumbawire (T Mareya 66th minute), A Tavarwisa (E Rusike 66th minute)
Chicken Inn: N Nyoni, S Linyama, F Chindungwe, B Mbiriri, K Mahachi (X Moyo 60th minute), G Goddard, T Goredema, M Ncube (P Ndoro), L Mpofu, J Moses, E Chikwaikwai (T Chimenya 53rd minute).
Online Reporter