Andrew
Fungai Muderere in BULAWAYO
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
FC Platinum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) 3
TITLE aspirants Chicken Inn saw their stay on top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League standings come to an end when they conspired to put up one of their worst shows at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
And champions FC Platinum gladly seized the initiative to put the Gamecocks to the sword with a clinical display that was capped by a Walter Musona double and a zinger of a shot by Nomore Chinyerere.
Perhaps Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas will feel he was proved right when he earlier claimed his side needed a miracle to turnaround their unsatisfactory form.
The Gamecocks were simply not at their best from the start due to a languid and stuttering defence, a non-existent midfield and a strike force that seemed to have forgotten their shooting boots at home.
The visitors, on their part, knew that victory would catapult them to the top, and the match was as good as over by the break.
“We now seek guidance from our good Lord,” Antipas was quoted as saying in the build-up to the top-of-the-table clash.
Musona gave the champions a perfect start when he found his first goal after two minutes.
The former Polokwane City striker got the end of a Juan Mutudza deflected effort.
Musona could have scored his double in the 27th minute but he watched in disbelief as his header went wide with only goalkeeper Pride Zendera to beat.
Zendera was thrust into the Gamecocks starting line-up following the suspension of first-choice ‘keeper Donovan Bernard for accumulating three yellow cards.
Three minutes after missing from close range, Walter, younger brother to outgoing Zimbabwe captain Knowledge Musona, got it right on the half hour.
As was the case in the first goal, Mutudza, who put on a man-of-the-match performance, also provided the assist.
FC Platinum, who have been the best-performing team in the last month, took their tally to 40 points, two ahead of the Gamecocks.
“It was a total disaster. We played against a good side but I must say we dug our own grave in the first half when we conceded those three goals.
“We made a lot of mistakes and we got punished. It was nightmarish. However, we will need to work on our mistakes and rectify everything.
“We could have done better in the second half,” Antipas said.
Coach of the Month, Norman Mapeza, said the win was a massive result for the miners, who are targeting a fourth straight championship title.
“Massive result for us. We worked so hard for this. We were in so much control against a very good side.
“There is quality in that Chicken Inn team and on another day they could have beaten us.
“It has all come through hard work but we have been avoiding talking too much,’’ he said.
He refused to be drawn into the title debate.
“We are not thinking much about the championship.”
Teams:
Chicken Inn: P Zendera, G Goddard (Mabunu 46th mins) C Dzingai, N Ketala, M Jackson, B Amidu (R Hachiro 46 mins), M Charamba (N Majika 46 mins), X Ndlovu, S Mhlanga, (M Hwata 85th min), B Muza
FC Platinum: W Magalane, G Mbweti, G Bello, L Mhlanga, N Chinyerere, B Banda, R Pavari, J Mutudza (O Bhebhe 90 mins), P Mutimbanyoka (I Mucheneka 90 mins), W Musona (D Teguru 82 mins), T Ngwenya
Online Reporter