adminsealed the game in the 87th minute.
Masomere had earlier said he wasn’t the kind of coach would could be beaten twice, by the same team, inside seven days.
And, he was just right.
“Once again I have proved to the nation that I am a doctor of football,” said Masomere.
“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 very well, what I planned during the week. 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.”
Just three minutes after the breather Rukanda, who was deemed access baggage by Egyptian coach Mohamed Fathi at Bosso, found the opener.
Caleb Masocha, who had a good game, shook of his marker on the right and sent a powerful shot in the box that Rukanda drilled home under the challenge from Felix Chindungwe.
Impressive goalminder Njabulo Nyoni had no chance at all.
The asbestos miners could have increased their tally four minutes later when Zimunya and man-of –the match Valentine Ndaba raced on a counter attack that opened the Gamecocks rearguard.
Ndaba showed maturity as he left Zimunya to deal with the ball, given he was in a very good position, but the former Masvingo United forward opted to display his dribbling skills, instead of shooting home, and the chance was lost.
Alternatively, he could have chosen to pass the ball to Ndaba but he chose to be selfish.
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.
The Bulawayo team then had a glorious chance to equalise in the 64th minute when free-scoring forward, Tendai Ndoro, broke loose and forced Victor Twaliki to come out of his line but he wasted his effort.
Ndoro had a number of chances to increase his goal tally this season but this was certainly not one of his best days.
Twaliki then made an impressive save in the 70th minute.
Mkhokheli Dube, who troubled the Shabanie defence with his close ball control, found space on the right after good work by Kudakwashe Mahachi but his scorcher was tipped for a corner by Twaliki.
There were chances for Shabanie towards the end of the match but Masocha and Ndaba again failed to convert in the 79th and 86th minutes.
But their pressure told, a minute later, when Zimunya was brought down in the box by Thabani Goredema and the Harare referee Pedzisayi Chadya pointed to the spot.
Zimunya beat goalkeeper Nyoni from the resultant dead ball.
Shabanie will now either meet the winner between Dynamos and Buffaloes and they might find themselves playing at home again since the finals will be played in Harare.
Chicken Inn coach, Mandla Mpofu, was a disappointed man after the match.
“As the Chicken Inn family we are not happy but this is football and these are results we must all accept.
“We missed chances and got punished and I say congratulations to Shabanie, they played well and were very hungry of 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 working very hard on our shortcomings,” he said.
Ndaba, who was presented with the man-of-the-match award, was a very happy man.
“We played as a team and I am thanking my teammates for this achievement.
“It was our coach’s tactics that won us the game and teamwork is really playing a big part for us,”
A businessman, only identified as Gudo, who is the director of Pronet Cellular, was excited with the victory over the Gamecocks and gave the team US$3000.
Teams
Chicken Inn: N Nyoni,B Mbiriri,Z Ngodzo,T Sibelo,F Chindungwe, C Nkomo(M Jackson 85th ),D Phiri, T Ndoro (M Dube 51st ),B Juru(T Goredema 52nd ),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, Chandisaita, E Manokore, W Masenda, B Muzondiwa, M Mine, B Gwere
Online Reporter