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Ray Bande in MUTARE
THE potentially explosive Castle Lager Premiership football tie pitting log leaders Chicken Inn and Manica Diamonds is any man’s game that will only see the better team of the day walking away with bragging rights, says Gem Boys gaffer Johanisi Nhumwa.
High-riding Chicken Inn, who are still basking in the glory of a seven-match unbeaten run spiced-up with an impressive away win against Ngezi Platinum, their first victory at Baobab Stadium since Ngezi Platinum was promoted into the top flight league, lock horns with fourth-placed Gem Boys at Luveve on Saturday.
Manica Diamonds were the early pacesetters this 2021/2022 championship race but somehow lost their grip in recent weeks, leaving Chicken Inn, Dynamos and Triangle to frog jump over them on the log standings.
On paper, judging by recent results, Saturday’s match against Chicken Inn now presents a Herculean task for Nhumwa as he seeks to bounce back and to maintain his team’s place among potential title contenders.
But the former Masvingo United mentor is taking the match like any other they have played so far in the season.
‘’The Dutch Mentor’’, as Nhumwa is fondly referred to by fans mainly in Masvingo and Mutare football circles, reckons the match has all the ingredients of a potentially exciting game of football.
“There is really not much difference between the matches that we have played and this one against Chicken Inn. If anything, it is likely to be an entertaining encounter judging by the form of both teams. Chicken Inn are playing some good football and we are also playing some good football. This is why I say it promises to be an exciting encounter,” said the Manica Diamonds gaffer.
He refused to accept that his team has lost the grip in maintaining its place among this season’s title contenders.
“If you look at the matches we have played in the last two weeks, for example, we have managed to get a point away from home and drew with the league’s defending champions (FC Platinum) at home. That is not a bad record at all. We still have many more matches to play and we may soon find ourselves back at the top of the table,” he said.
Nhumwa said the talk about the race for the title is not placing his team under any pressure, given that the season is still in its infancy.
“I think most of the teams in the league are now in good shape. The season is coming out of its infancy and we really cannot talk about the championship. There is still a long way to go. All we want, as a team, is to keep collecting points where we can.
“There are still many matches to be played and every team at the moment is primarily focused on getting points for them to move away from the relegation zone as much as they can,” said Nhumwa.
Unlike Manica Diamonds, Chicken Inn have been more consistent in their performance and that has seen the Bulawayo outfit maintaining their top spot on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table.
The Gamecocks took their unbeaten run to seven matches following a 2-0 away win at Ngezi Platinum Stars last weekend, a result that took their points’ tally to 22 after nine games.
Chicken Inn enjoy a three-point lead over Dynamos and surprise title contenders Triangle United.
Online Reporter