Shabanie boot out Chicken Inn

Sports Reporter
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0
Shabanie Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2SHABANIE Mine coach Luke Masomere did not mince his words when he guided his side to a sweet victory in a thrilling BancABC quarter-final match played at Mandava Stadium yesterday.

Former Highlanders striker Tarisai Rukanda scored the opener in the 48th minute before Pervington Zimunya sealed the scoring in the 87th minute.

Masomere had earlier vowed not to lose twice to the same team within a week. Last Sunday Chicken Inn beat Shabanie Mine 1-0 in a league match.
“Once again I have proved to the nation that I am a Doctor of Football. When I meet my patients I make sure I give them medicine so that they can go home and sleep and be well again.”

“My team played to our plan. We were organised unlike last week when they dominated us and I am happy for my team, executive and fans as we have progressed to the next round,”  boasted the Shabanie Mine gaffer.

Just three minutes after the breather Rukanda who was deemed excess garbage by former Bosso Egyptian coach Mohammed Fathi found the opener. Caleb Masocha who had one of his best matches shook off his marker on the right and sent a powerful shot into the box that Rukanda drilled home under challenge from Felix Chindungwe beating impressive goalminder Njabulo Nyoni.

The asbestos miners could have increased their tally four minutes later when Zimunya and man-of-the-match Valentine Ndaba raced for a counter attack that had beaten the Gamecocks rearguard.

Ndaba showed maturity as he left Zimunya to the ball but the former Masvingo United midfielder instead of shooting at goal opted to display his dribbling skills.

With Ndaba waiting for a pass, Zimunya chose to be selfish and shot weakly at goal much to the delight of the Gamecocks bench.
Munyaradzi Chirinda the Shabanie Mine leftback then got the better of Tonisani Sibelo on the left and let go a scorcher that Nyoni did well to block for a corner which they failed to utilise.

The Bulawayo team were then awarded with a glorious moment to equalise in the 64th minute when free scoring Tendai Ndoro broke loose forcing Victor Twaliki to come out of his line but he failed to score as his effort was blocked by the Shabanie goalie only as far as Thabani Goredema.

The hard working midfielder who was introduced as a substitute then dribbled past Smart Muchabayiwa and Blessed Mbavarira in the box and sent a powerful shot which just needed a tap in but there was no black and yellow jersey to complete the simple task leaving coach Mandla Mpofu shaking his head in disbelief.

Ndoro got so many chances but he failed to bury them.
Shabanie Mine goalkeeper Twaliki was then called to make an impressive save in the 70th minute.
Mkhokheli Dube who troubled the Shabanie defence with his close ball control got an effort on the right after good work by Mahachi but his scorcher was tipped for a corner by Twaliki and again the visitors who were the home team failed to utilise the chance.

Shabanie Mine continued to pile pressure on the visitors as they played as if their life depended on yesterday’s match with Masocha and Ndaba again failing to convert in the 79th and 86th minute respectively.

In the 87th minute Zimunya was brought down in the box by Goredema and the Harare referee Pedzisayi Chadya who was impressive all afternoon pointed to the spot.

Zimunya beat goalkeeper Nyoni from the resultant spot kick as he sent his effort to the left and it was just unfortunate that Nyoni was a shade too slow to block the effort.

Chicken Inn coach Mpofu was a disappointed man after the match.
“As the Chicken Inn family we are not happy but this is football and have to accept the results. We missed chances and got punished and I say congratulations to Shabanie they played well and were very hungry for a positive result.”
“They pressed us but they must know that we are playing them in just a few days. We are going back home to prepare for them” he said.

Teams
Chicken Inn: N Nyoni, B Mbiriri, Z Ngodzo, T Sibelo, F Chindungwe, C Nkomo (M Jackson 85th minute), D Phiri, T Ndoro (M Dube 51st minute), B Juru (T Goredema 52nd  minute), K Mahachi, M Marima

Shabanie Mine: V Twaliki, P Sithole, M Kunyarimwe, T Mombeshora, B Mbavarira, F Chirinda, P Zimunya, C Masocha, V Ndaba, T Rukanda, S Muchabayiwa