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Bruce Chikuni-Sports Reporter
FORMER champions Chicken Inn will seek to become the first team in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League to win at Wadzanai when they invade Simba Bhora’s Shamva fortress tomorrow.
Since Sharif Mussa’s ZIFA First Instance Body cleared the stadium to host top-flight matches, no team has managed a win against Simba Bhora.
It is based on their fine home that Simba Bhora have shot to the top of the log table and have maintained pole position.
Now 2015 champions Chicken Inn are hoping to do what Dynamos, Highlanders, CAPS Unite, FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum, and others have failed to — which is claiming victory over Simba Bhora at Wadzanai.
The Gamecocks are banking on an unusual source of inspiration to derail the Simba Bhora title march and make some history at Wadzanai.
Chicken Inn are counting on their former star and now administrator Clemence Matawu’s popularity in Shamva to ensure they will not be short on voices of support from the terraces.
Matawu hails from Shamva and is revered by the community in the farming and mining town dating from his days at Motor Action.
He was crowned the 2006 Castle Lager Premiership Soccer Star of the Year.
His presence has turned what would typically be an away game into a virtual homecoming and his coach Joey Antipas wants to leverage that.
“Clemence is well celebrated in Shamva and it’s no secret.
“His childhood friends and colleagues will make us feel at home, and we will try to use that to our advantage,” Antipas said.
Matawu’s family house, situated just 200 metres from Wadzanai, serves as a constant reminder of his roots.
Antipas believes this familiarity will ease his team’s worries.
“We can’t say we are away from home when we are playing in the hometown of one of our club’s legends.
“Matawu knows what the boys must do for us to get a positive result, it is a match we are going to play without any pressure.”
Simba Bhora with 57 points have an 18-point advantage over the Gamecocks, effectively leaving Chicken Inn to fight for a decent finish and not the championship title.
Antipas wants his side to finish their campaign on a high.
“The boys have been showing their desire to finish this campaign strongly and I believe we have the talent to get a win at Wadzanai,” he added.
Matawu’s involvement adds an intriguing dynamic in that as a respected figure in Shamva his presence could sway part of the crowd’s support into Chicken Inn’s way.
Antipas acknowledged this possibility but emphasised the importance of football being the ultimate winner.
“Having Clemence in the picture creates a level playing field, but when all is said and done, football should be the winner.
“It’s not easy to play Simba Bhora any day . . . they’re organised and they have good players”.
Matawu, who is also the Warriors team manager, had an illustrious career that included a stint in Poland’s top-flight league and league championship successes with Motor Action and Chicken Inn in 2005 and 2015.
Online Reporter