BY TATENDA MAKANDA AND FORTUNE MBELE
Chicken Inn… (0) 1Zimbabwe Saints… 0
FC Platinum… (1) 1Blue Ribbon… 0
CHICKEN Inn stormed to the top of the Castle Lager premiership after beating city rivals Zimbabwe Saints at Luveve Saturday. Brian Mbirimi scored in the 60th minute to bag three points for the fast food chain boys. Chicken Inn won a free kick just outside the box, which was coolly slotted home by Mbirimi. Following the win, Chicken Inn took their points tally to 16 from seven games. The Bulawayo side displaced CAPS United at the summit of the premiership. The Green Machine lost the grip on the top spot after going down to nemesis Motor Action at Rufaro yesterday. Zimbabwe Saints were the better team yesterday despite the “drumstick special” boys winning the match. Had it not been for the lucky free kick the result could have been different. Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo’s boys took turns to tear apart Chicken Inn’s defence manned by old warhorses Herbert Dick and Sikhumbuzo Banda. Chauya Chikwata’s Ntokozo Tshuma, Beavan Chikaka and Gift Phiri were in an impressive form.Kiglon and Shabanie Mine settled for a goalless draw in a tedious premiership encounter at Gwanzura yesterday.The two teams seemed to have connived to treat less than 20 fans that paid to watch the game to a boring goalless show.Both teams never really fashioned meaningful attacks for 90 minutes.Shabanie’s Artwell Nyoni could have capitalised a half chance at the edge of the box barely 12 minutes into the game but shot weakly, leaving Stephen Chimusoro in goals for Kiglon to make an easy catch.Kiglon nearly broke the deadlock on the stroke of 86 minutes but second half substitute Last Chibwiro headed the ball over the bar.Kiglon were without their right back Webster Chigodzo and centre back Paul Maverenya had boycotted the match due to an outstanding salary dispute. Midfielder Marshall Machazane was also out after he got a red card in their last weekend encounter with Gunners.At Maglas in Zvishavane FC Platinum beat Blue Ribbon 1-0. The miners scored through Benjamin Marere and with the win, their points tally rose to 15 from six matches. The Zvishavane side moved from position four to second jumping over CAPS United.
Results Saturday:
Motor Action 2 – 0 CAPS United, Chicken Inn 1 – 0 Zimbabwe Saints, Kiglon 0 – 0 Shabanie Mine, FC Platinum 1 – 0 Blue Ribbon.
Fixtures today:Monomotapa v Dynamos (Rufaro), Highlanders v Black Mambas (Barbourfields), Hwange v Shooting Stars (Colliery), Masvingo v Gunners (Mucheke)
