BY FORTUNE MBELE in bulawayo
CHICKEN INN… (2) 2
DYNAMOS…………. 0
Two first-half goals by Chicken Inn ensured the Gamecocks continued their dominance over Dynamos in an exciting Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match spoiled by unruly visitors’ fans at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
Clive Augusto scored his fourth goal of the season in three games with an impressive strike from the penalty spot with Malvin Gaki scoring the second.
Dynamos captain Edward Sadomba was sent for an early shower three minutes before half-time by referee Hardley Ndazi for a second bookable offence after fouling defender Moses Jackson in the 35th minute and a crude tackle on Xolani Ndlovu in the 42nd minute.
Frustrated Dynamos fans in the Mpilo End were not amused with their skipper being given the marching orders after an earlier upheaval over the second goal in which they thought Gaki was offside.
The red card was followed by coach Lloyd Chigowe confronting Ndazi and he was lucky to escape without censure while the Dynamos fans violently shook the perimeter fence continuously, throwing missiles onto the pitch, resulting in a four-minute stoppage after two minutes of optional time were added.
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Police had to reinforce security at the Mpilo End as the fans continued to pull down the fence and pelted second assistant referee Sanelisiwe Sibanda with missiles before the start of the second half.
Chigowe said the Dynamos fans might have acted on his decision to confront Ndazi, but it was at the spur of the moment as he also felt his captain did not deserve to be sent off.
“I thought the referee was pathetic. I did not see any penalty and the worst part was the challenge on the defender did not warrant a red card. The second goal was also a dubious one. It’s unfortunate if the fans reacted with me,” Chigowe said.
The Dynamos gaffer, however, appealed for patience declaring that the Harare giants would rise after suffering a second defeat in a row, having lost to Hwange at home last week.
“As Dynamos, we will rise again and fight on,” Chigowe said.
Augusto’s goal was from the spot in the 10th minute to register his fourth in three games after Chicken Inn midfielder Sipho Ndlovu was brought down inside the penalty box.
Gaki caught the Dynamos defence ball-watching in anticipation of an offside call in the 22nd minute and after some fancy footwork, he shot past Dynamos goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya.
However, Chicken Inn slackened in the second half and Dynamos upped their game with substitute Godfrey Mukambi and Jimmy Tigere stabilising the visitors’ play.
They could have restored parity in the second half with missed opportunities by Tawanda Chisi and Mukambi.
Chicken Inn are now on nine points with three straight wins and coach Joey Antipas was excited although admitting Dynamos gave them a scare in the second half.
“It was a welcome three points. We were outstanding in the first half and took them to the cleaners,” said Antipas.
“Our ball retention was brilliant and this was one of best first halves. The tempo and the intensity levels dropped in the second half because of a lot of stop-starts, but credit to Dynamos for the way they came at us in the second half.”
Teams:
Chicken Inn: D Bernard, P Bernard, X Ndlovu, M Jackson, G Goddard, T Chipunza, O Chirinda (V Kadonzvo 69’), S Ndlovu (B Amidu 77’), C Augusto, I Mucheneka, M Gaki (G Majika 86’)
Dynamos: M Diya, A Maliselo, T Muringai, T Chisi, J Tigere, M Mawadza, J Selemani (G Mukambi 38’), Try-Andre Moffat (M Chipo 46’), V Mbega (R Macheka 46’), N Mangala, E Sadomba (red card 42’).
