BY SINDISO DUBE in Bulawayo
Chicken Inn………………. (0) 0
Manica Diamonds…… (1) 2
CHICKEN Inn gaffer Joey Antipas could not hide his emotions after his 10 man team succumbed to a two-goal defeat at the hands of Manica Diamonds in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
After venting out unprintable words, Antipas stormed out of the post-match news conference in anger.
“We deserved to lose. We were poor in all ways… We conceded a goal in just one minute and I blame that on the defence and slow reaction. This was a poor performance and we have to ask questions and we need answers,” Antipas said.
An early goal and a last-minute strike by Manica Diamonds sank Chicken Inn, dampening their chances of clinching the title.
Benjamin Marere caught the home side unaware to score an early goal in the first minute. Marere went on to provide Ishmael Lawe to score the last-minute goal after taking advantage of a defensive blunder by Liberty Chakoroma.
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To add to Chicken Inn’s misery, Obriel Chirinda was shown a straight red card in the 35th minute after being adjudged to have struck Peace Makaha with the ball in an off-the-ball incident.
In search of an equaliser, Chicken Inn made a double substitution before the start of the second half, bringing in Nicole Mutatiwa for Malvin Gaki and George Majika for former Highlanders midfielder Simon Munawa.
Early into the second half Manica Diamond’s Kudakwashe Gurure went out limping and was replaced by Nelson Tachi.
The GameCocks skipper Moses Jackson was forced to go out after picking up an injury and was replaced by Ben Nyahunzvi
Majika almost equalised, but veteran goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube saved the free kick from outside the box.
Teams
Chicken Inn: P Zendera, M Jackson, L Chakoroma, X Ndlovu, S Ndlovu, S Munawa (G Majika 45’), T Chipunza, M Gaki (N Mutatiwa 45’), V Kadonzvo, G Goddard, O Chirinda.
Manica Diamonds: T Dube, L Masibera, P Jaure, C Munzabwa, P Makaha, T Jeffrey, L Jesi (Ishmael Lawe 55’), R Mufudza, K Gurure (N Tachi 58’), B Marere, S Ngala.
