Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
CHICKEN Inn and Highlanders yesterday responded the best way possible when they won their respective Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches.
Mafios Chiweta made all the difference for a hard earned away victory at Manica Diamonds in Mutare, scoring the solitary goal in the 64th minute. The win saw Highlanders collect maximum points after a month long struggle and the coaches’ gamble to bench Raphael Pitisi paid off as reward Muza kept a clean sheet.
Mpumelelo Bhebhe, who with towering Itai Mabhunu played their hearts out at the heart of the Chicken Inn defence, scored Chicken Inn’s goal in the 49th minute from a goalmouth melee. It was not just a win, but one made all the sweeter by the fact that it was the club’s first home win this season.
The Gamecocks beat Ngezi Platinum Stars, who were clearly the better side, tight in defence, enterprising in midfield and always probing in attack through the wings and middle of the pitch.
They were close to making an expensive decision to play at Barbourfields Stadium where they stood to lose more revenue as they rarely attract crowds to guarantee the minimum charge of US$2.
Joey Antipas watched frustrating weeks with his players struggling to find the back of the net. Yesterday’s goal came from the least of expected sources, centreback Bhebhe, who had moved forward to add height for a set piece situation in which the Ngezi Platinum Stars defence was found in sixes and sevens on the blind side.
The two teams’ win set the tone for what is expected to be an exciting city derby between Highlanders and the Gamecocks at Barbourfields Stadium.
Barring negative time wasting antics exhibited by Donovan Bernard, in which he fell to the ground seemingly feigning injury, every minute and second is expected to count.
With just the two teams now left in the Premiership from Bulawayo and the region, the derby will be robbed of quality of previous ties and crunching tension.
Both coaches, Joey Antipas for Chicken Inn and Kelvin Kaindu may as well take a break.
Players win derbies as there are bragging rights to it.
With a countrywide mix of talent from both ends, it may miss the ingredients of old where the fights would have started at junior league level right through reserve team up to the first team.
For some, even local primary and school rivalries would be re-ignited in the derbies.
Bongani Ndlovu