FC Platinum . . . . . 1(1) Chicken Inn . . . . . 0(1) Castle Lager Premier Soccer League defending champions Chicken Inn stunned FC Platinum with a last gasp equaliser in a thrilling contest at Mandava Stadium yesterday.
BY Own Correspondent
FC Platinum had gone ahead through a Walter Musona strike in the 35th minute with the Gamecocks forcing a share of the spoils with a Nicholas Muchadeyi’s 88th minute strike.
The match started slowly with both sides trying to assert themselves with a passing game but FC Platinum settling first.
They were to come close as early as the fourth minute, but fluffed their lines with Chicken Inn defence in sixes and sevens.
The first 20 minutes of the match yielded very little goal mouth action as the battle was confined to the midfield.
There was, however, no denying Musona when Chicken Inn goalie Elvis Chipezeze carelessly gave away the ball after a poor clearance which allowed Musona to chip it over into an empty net.
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FC Platinum appeared energised with the goal and began dictating the pace, but failed to add to their account with the match goiung to the breather with a slender one goal lead.
Charles Sibanda was sent through to the keeper and Chicken Inn were saved blushes when Moses Jackson ghosted in to block the shot.
Chicken Inn were now the dominant side, but were failing to convert their possession into goals.
Mapeza, however, breathed life into his side when he introduced speed merchant Marshal Mudehwe in the 76th minute that saw a long siege on the champions’
Sibanda could have put the game to rest as a contest, but opted to make an ambitious through ball instead of firing at goal with Chicken Inn defence in sixes and sevens.
Substitute Muchadeyi was to break the home side’s hearts with a screamer that flew past a hapless Petros Mhari in a quick raid.
Fellow second half substitute Moses Demera missed a seater that could even have won the game for the visitors. Mapeza felt hard done by the draw as he thought they had wrapped up the game.
“I thought we had wrapped up the game and conceding in the last two minutes is disappointing, but I’m happy with the point,” Mapeza said.
His opposite number, Rahman Gumbo felt FC Platinum were lucky to even get a point.
“Don’t you think they were lucky to get a point? My keeper made a silly mistake… they never threatened,” Gumbo said.
Teams:- FC Platinum: P Mhari, I Nekati, G Bello, E Moyo, K Moyo, W Mhango, R Chinyengetere, N Masuku, C Sibanda, T Rukanda (M Mudehwe 76’), W Musona
Chicken Inn: E Chipezeze, P Bernard, D Lunga, G Goddard (M Demera 53’), D Nyandoro (N Muchadeyi 65), P Tafirenyika (C Nkomo 45), T Goredema, M Jackson, C Matawu, L Mhlanga, T Kutinyu
