Mafero on the edge as Chicken Inn crisis brews

Veronica Gwaze, Zimpapers Sports Hub

Chicken Inn’s start to the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season is unravelling into a full-blown crisis — and head coach is standing right at the edge of the cliff.

Five matches in, the Gamecocks are winless. They sit an unfamiliar 15th on the log with just four points out of a possible 15. The mood in Bulawayo is shifting from hopeful to restless, and the once-decorated tactician, who led the team to league glory in 2015, finds himself in the firing line.

Last week, the club’s leadership handed Antipas a stern three-match ultimatum to collect nine points or risk being shown the exit. But the clock is already ticking—and the margin for error is gone. After a goalless stalemate against Herentals at Luveve Stadium on Sunday, Antipas has already dropped two of the nine points he was mandated to secure.

In a league as unforgiving as Zimbabwe’s top flight, time and sentiment rarely offer lifelines. Chicken Inn’s next two fixtures will almost certainly define Antipas’ fate — an away showdown against perennial giants Dynamos at Rufaro, followed by a tense home clash with reigning champions, Simba Bhora.

“This is not healthy at all,” said a visibly concerned Antipas. “In previous seasons, we always started well, but this time it is different and it is not okay.”

The veteran coach, affectionately known as “Mafero” in local football circles, cuts a figure both calm and cornered.

He has been here before, but this time, the pressure feels heavier. The Gamecocks fans, proud and passionate about their side, are growing increasingly uneasy.

Antipas, to his credit, is not hiding from the reality. “A decent result is what we need now. We are working hard to change this pattern and start winning. In football you win some, you lose some, but we must get that balance right, soon.”

While the defensive structure appears largely intact, the team has conceded just one goal in five outings, their attacking bluntness has become their Achilles heel. The Gamecocks have only found the net twice all season, and the absence of a reliable goal threat has placed assistant coach Fungai “Tostao” Kwashi, in charge of the strike force, under quiet scrutiny.

“Our major problem is in the attack,” Antipas admitted. “Goals are not coming and we need to fix that. Only with goals can we begin to win games or grind out meaningful results.”

The off-season exodus of experienced campaigners left gaping holes across the pitch. Malvin Hwata joined Simba Bhora, Danny Phiri and Raphael Kutinyu also left, while trusted goalkeeper, Pride Zendera moved on. In their place, Antipas recruited a mix of young talent and lesser-known names from both Division One and fellow PSL clubs.

Among the new faces are Tinashe Mashaineri and Edward Musena from Kwekwe United and Kumbirai Nyamutenha from Chinhoyi Stars. PSL journeymen, Tadiwa Muchenje (Bulawayo Chiefs), Walter Vuwa (Ngezi Platinum Stars) and Aron Ngwenya (Arenel Movers) were brought in to bolster the ranks.

But with cohesion still lacking and confidence low, the rebuild is off to a rocky start.

“The relative youthfulness of the team is also playing a role,” said Antipas. “The boys are still growing and finding their feet in the elite league.”

He’s right to note the positives, though. Chicken Inn’s midfield has shown glimpses of control and their defensive unit, led by Golden Glove winner Donnovan Bernard, remains solid. Bernard already has three clean sheets to his name — just one behind Simba Bhora’s William Thole —and continues to be a dependable presence between the sticks.

But unless Chicken Inn can find their rhythm in attack and convert possession into goals, the defensive solidity will count for little. The next two fixtures — against Dynamos, who are unbeaten at Rufaro, and Simba Bhora, another team under pressure — offer no breathing room.

Interestingly, both Antipas and Simba Bhora’s Joel Luphahla are the only coaches with active ultimatums. Luphahla managed to win his first match under pressure, but Antipas stumbled at the first hurdle.

There’s still time, but not much. For Antipas, these next two weeks are not just about survival, they’re about legacy.

“This group has potential,” he said. “You never know what a single win can do for confidence. We’re not giving up.”

The fans at Luveve are known to back their team through thick and thin. But in a season where nothing has gone according to script, they will be watching with a mixture of hope, frustration and the looming sense that change could be around the corner.