Asecond half goal by Obadiah Tarumbwa was all that Chicken Inn needed to collect maximum points beating visiting Dynamos in the two sides’ first match of the 2018 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
BY FORTUNE MBELE CHICKEN INN… (0) 1 DYNAMOS……… 0
Experience made the difference for the Joey Antipas-coached Chicken Inn, who dominated Dynamos for the better part of the game after the visitors had shown some brilliance in the first 20 minutes of the game.
Chicken Inn scored the solitary goal in the contest 10 minutes into the second half when Tarumbwa coolly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Blessing Mwandimutsira to silence the multitude of Dynamos fans who had thronged Barbourfields. Tarumbwa connected a cross from George Majika from the right.
Antipas was overjoyed to collect his first set of points, especially from Dynamos.
“It was important to hit the ground running; that was our aim to start the league with a win, which we achieved. We started off slowly, Dynamos had the upper hand for the first 15 minutes, but once we got into our groove, we started dominating and creating chances,” he said.
“We made a few mistakes defensively here and there, but I would like to give credit to our defence. They withstood the pressure that Dynamos put us under. [Simon] Munawa had a blinder in midfield, but we were not very sharp in attack and we still have to work very hard. But overall, I asked the guys for team performance and they delivered and I am happy that we managed to collect maximum points.”
Dynamos could have scored in the first 15 minutes had they taken advantage of the jittery Chicken Inn central defence of Moses Jackson and Kudzai Chideu who were troubled by the stylish Tawanda Macheka with Cleopas Kapupurika also displaying some brilliant footwork on the right wing.
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But it was Chicken Inn who got the chances at goal with Munawa’s trademark long-range shot in the 22nd minute cleared away for a corner and five minutes later, midfielder Innocent Mucheneka watched his header from inside the penalty box sail over the cross-bar from a Devine Lunga cross.
Chicken Inn’s veteran midfielder Clemence Matawu controlled the midfield with support from Munawa and Mucheneka.
Dynamos could have equalised in the 64th minute, but Macheka’s effort was blocked for a corner by Chideu.
Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa conceded defeat, but felt his defender Marshal Machazane was fouled in the build-up to Chicken Inn’s goal.
“It’s tough luck for us; we lost it, but I want to applaud my youngsters. They put up a good show. But there are some certain moments in a game where you feel you are hard done, but such is football. We will regroup and think about the next game. From where I was, the goal that was scored I saw a deliberate push on Machazane, who went on to lose that ball and it made the difference and our inability to score made things even worse,” Mutasa said.
Teams:
Chicken Inn: E Chipezeze, P Bernard, D Lunga, M Jackson, S Munawa, W Kamudyariwa (T Goredema 68’), C Matawu, G Majika (C Samakweri 84’), I Mucheneka, O Tarumbwa (O Chirinda 72’)
Dynamos: B Mwandimutsira, B Moyo, R Matova, M Machazane, J Tigere, J Marufu, K Dhemere (K Mwerahari 67’), R Manuvire (Q Kangadze 77’), C Kapupurika, T Macheka, O Mushure (V Kadonzvo 56’)
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League results and fixtures at a glance:
Yesterday: Chicken Inn 1-0 Dynamos, Bulawayo City 2-0 Chapungu, Ngezi Platinum 2-0 Herentals, Nichrut 1-0 Mutare City Rovers, Yadah FC 2-2 Bulawayo Chiefs, ZPC Kariba v FC Platinum (not played)
Today: Highlanders v Black Rhinos (Barbourfields), Shabanie Mine v Triangle (Mandava), CAPS United v Harare City (National Sports Stadium).
