Vusumuzi Dube
Fungai Muderere in Zvishavane
Sheasham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League new boys Sheasham gave a good account of themselves when they played a nil all draw against Chicken Inn in a match that was played at Mandava Stadium yesterday.
The Gweru-based Sheasham were compelled to play their first topflight league match at Mandava due to the unavailability of Ascot Stadium while their Bata Stadium is getting revamped.
The John Nyikadzino-coached Construction Boys matched Gamecocks pound for pound and were unlucky to have not collected maximum points against 10 men former league champions who lost the services of their industrious midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu who was sent off in the 55th minute after a second bookable offence.
So determined was Sheasham as they took the game to Prince Matore mentored Gamecocks.
Gifted Tanaka Chidhobha, David Mangesi, Tatenda Makurumidze and substitute Polyester Shoko among others were a force to reckon with for the Premier League debutants.
It was a match that ex-Gamecocks head coach Joey Antipas who is now club’s technical director, watched from the terraces taking notes with the team’s match analyst Gary Muchakata. In his post-match interview Nyikadzino, a former Chapungu mentor expressed satisfaction after picking up a point against last season’s runners up.
“It’s a pleasing result. It was our first game in the Premier League and drawing against Chicken Inn, a club that finished on position two last season is a big achievement. I’m also happy that we managed to deal with Xolani Ndlovu whose overlaps always proved to be dangerous. It’s a huge step towards what we want to achieve as a club. We need to work on our composure and finishing,” said Nyikadzino whose charges received a standing ovation from their drum beating fans.
Matore reckoned it was a fair result as he bemoaned Kutinyu’s sending off.
“It was a good game, both clubs were in a real hunt for three points. We lost one man (Kutinyu) and that affected us but we still created chances. We missed some crucial chances and we take the point,” said Matore.
Teams
Sheasham: L Chirava, A Dirau, Z Chikwenere, T Macheka, R Useni (Jubani 46mins) L Jani, D Mangesi, T Makurumidze (Shoko 46 mins) N Mpinduki, T Chidhobha, L Masveure
Chicken Inn: D Bernard, A Chinda, X Ndlovu, M Bhebhe, D Jaricha, D Khumalo (Majika 60mins), C Dzingai, T Kutinyu, G Mutungamiri (Ncube 70mins) B Muza, M Whata (Pini 70mins) — Follow on Twitter @FungaiMuderere
Online Reporter