adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
CHICKEN Inn coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu is feeling the heat following his team’s string of poor results which is threatening their top four finish target in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League. They play host to relegation threatened Hwange. The Gamecocks have gone for three league matches without a victory and last recorded a win at home at the beginning of last month when they beat Black Rhinos 2-1.
The ambitious Bulawayo Club also lost in the quarter-finals of the Mbada Diamonds Cup last Saturday to Caps United.
Caps United went on to beat the Gamecocks 2-1 in a midweek league encounter.
Admitting that his side is going through a bad spell, Mpofu yesterday said they had since worked on their shortcomings that saw them being held to a goalless draw by relegation threatened Motor Action and lost two points at home when they drew with Harare City.
Chicken Inn were at some stage very much in the title contention but they fizzled out as the championship race heated up.
On Week 15 Chicken Inn were second on the log, tied on 29 points with log leaders Highlanders but now they occupy position six after amassing 39 points from 24 matches. The Gamecocks trail Bosso who are at the top of the log by five points.
Mpofu, the former Kujatana FC and Railstars gaffer believes that mathematically they are still in the championship race but said they are concentrating on picking up points so that they finish in the top four.
“The players are hungry for a win after making lots of mistakes that have seen us dropping points. When we started the season we said our target was to get a top four finish and that has not changed. What we have to do is to start collecting points because we have unnecessarily been dropping them. Our defending has been poor, there have been some bad goalkeeping and we have also been missing chances. I believe we have worked hard in correcting our mistakes,” said Mpofu.
In this afternoon encounter, Chicken Inn takes on a rejuvenated Hwange outfit which has shown their intent of surviving the chop winning two of their last four matches and drawing the other.
In the process, the coalminers clipped defending champions Dynamos’ wings when they beat them 4-2 at the Colliery and they also beat Shabanie Mine 2-0.
All their draws were away to Tripple B and Triangle.
It is against such a background that Mpofu is feeling the heat to get the result with unconfirmed reports coming from Chicken Inn that Mpofu’s job is on the line.
“If you are not winning there is always some pressure. Whenever I go for a game there is always pressure to get a positive result and I believe I have done my best at the club but unfortunately we have come short of results. If I lose, I don’t witch-hunt instead I take the blame as a coach and try to plan for our next game,” said Mpofu.
The former Highlanders fringe player has got depth in his team in the form of skipper Felix Chindungwe, Zephaniah Ngodzo, Tonisani Sibelo, Brian Mbiriri, national team holding midfielder Danny Phiri, veteran Clemence Matawu, Mkhokheli Dube, Evans Chikwaikwai and the league’s top goal scorer Tendai Ndoro.
Mpofu is being assisted by senior national team coach Mkhuphali Masuku and Julius Ndlovu.
Meanwhile, Hwange’s gaffer Nation Dube has said they are coming to Bulawayo for a positive result.
The soft-spoken coalminers’ coach said he was reading much in his team’s good run.
“I think the players’ understanding of what is at stake has been key to our past performance but we cannot ride on history. What we have to do is to try to have the same fighting spirit and make sure that we get positive results in every remaining match,” said Dube.
Hwange’s hopes will be pinned on captain Gerald Ndlovu, veteran striker Gilbert Zulu, dribbling wizard Farai Vimisayi, Nkosana Siwela and David Boriwondo.
Fixtures
Today: Chicken Inn v Hwange (Luveve), Black Mambas v Caps United (Morris Depot)
Tomorrow: Shabanie Mine v Monomotapa (Maglas), How Mine v Harare City (Luveve), Buffaloes v Motor Action (Sakubva), Black Rhinos v Highlanders (Rimuka), Triangle United v FC Platinum (Gibbo), Dynamos v Tripple B (Rufaro)
Log
P W D L F A GD Pts
Highlanders 24 13 5 6 37 20 17 44
Dynamos 24 11 9 4 31 17 14 42
FC Platinum 24 12 6 6 32 21 11 42
Harare City 24 11 9 4 33 23 10 42
Caps United 24 11 6 7 33 25 8 39
Chicken Inn 24 10 6 8 30 26 4 36
How Mine 24 10 5 9 23 27 -4 35
Buffaloes 24 10 4 10 35 35 0 34
Triangle 24 8 8 8 33 29 4 32
Shabanie Mine 24 9 5 10 26 30 -4 32
Hwange 24 7 8 10 28 26 2 29
Black Mambas 24 8 5 11 21 28 -7 29
Black Rhinos 24 6 9 9 26 30 -4 27
Monomotapa 24 6 6 12 22 39 -17 24
Tripple B 24 4 7 13 21 39 -18 19
Motor Action 24 3 8 13 14 30 -16 17
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter