News (4)
HIGHLANDERS...........(1) 1
CHICKEN INN... ..........(2) 2
CHICKEN Inn handed Highlanders their first 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League defeat to claim the Bulawayo bragging rights in an exciting match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
Highlanders, however remain on top of the log-standings with 14 points after Simba Bhora fell to Bulawayo Chiefs 1-0 at Luveve Stadium yesterday to stay on second spot with 13 points.
Never Rauzhi was on target for Chiefs in the 77th minute.
Brian Muza scored the first goal for Chicken Inn in the eighth minute, making a solo run on a counter attack, dribbling past defender Archford Faira and letting off what appeared a simple shot, but a diving Ariel Sibanda failed to make a save.
Another blunder by Sibanda in the 16th minute gifted Chicken Inn the second goal when, in an attempt to make a clearance from an equally poor back pass from Brian Mlotshwa, he sent the ball direct onto the path of Michael Charamba who made no mistake.
Highlanders Kelvin Kaindu made a quick substitution in the 23rd minute, replacing right back Mlotshwa with Mvelo Khosa who went on to have a brilliant afternoon.
But it was in the centre where Highlanders were found wanting with Devine Mhindirira and Mckinnon Mushore chasing shadows.
Lynoth Chikuhwa scored his fifth goal of the season with a shot from the right in the 34th minute as Highlanders crept back into the game with the young Prince Ndlovu troubling the Chicken Inn defence.
Kaindu said the loss was a bitter pill to swallow.
“You can tell from the response from our players that the defeat was painful and even before the game, we knew Chicken Inn was going to be a difficult game for us, but we wanted to build character in our team so that we can also stand and compete with everybody,” he said.
Chicken Inn's Joey Antipas said they had it all planned out for Highlanders.
“It was a good victory, playing against Highlanders is not an easy task. We had a game plan for Highlanders; attack them from the beginning and press them in their half. We know that the Highlanders players, especially the defence, when they are on the ball, under pressure, they panick and that is exactly what happened,” Antiapas said.
Chicken Inn are now on 12 points at par with FC Platinum.
Highlanders had an early opportunity in the sixth minute, but Andrew Mbeba's powerful free-kick was punched back into play by Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard.
Highlanders came from the break the better side, raiding Chicken Inn left right and centre, with Ndlovu continuing to be a menace, but Bernard stood his ground between the goalposts for Chicken Inn.
The second half did not produce any goals.
Teams
Highlanders: A Sibanda, B Mlotshwa (M Khosa 23'), A Faira, A Mbeba, P Muduhwa, M Ncube, P Ndlovu (R Sibanda 84'), D Mhindirira, L Chikuhwa (B Ndlovu 80'), M Mushore, B Ncube
Chicken Inn: D Bernard, J Tulani, X Ndlovu, I Mabunu, K Chinda, D Phiri, M Hwata (B Rendo 54'), M Charamba, B Muza, L Mangaira, G Majika (B Mpofu 70').
Source: Newsday
Dynamos 2-2 Hwange
DYNAMOS fans have called for the departure of coach Genesis Mangombe after they surrendered a two-goal lead to share the spoils with Hwange at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Saturday.
DeMbare fans could not hide their frustration as they sang “Kaka Ngaende” at the end of the match. Mangombe is popularly referred to as Kaka. After the stalemate the fans made their feelings on the coach clear.
They want him gone.
Dynamos lost their opening match against Highlanders last weekend 2-1 before yesterday’s two all draw against Hwange. Prior to that, they had lost 2-0 to Ngezi Platinum Stars in the Castle Challenge Cup.
If anything, Mangombe needed to win the game against Hwange to pacify the DeMbare faithful.
But that was not to be.
DeMbare took the lead through Donald Mudadi in the 28th minute with a well-taken strike from just outside the arch. Emmanuel Paga added to DeMbare’s advantage in the second half with a well-taken freekick from the edge of the box.
At that time, Dynamos seemed to have everything under control but Hwange had other plans.
Marceline Mlilo scored Hwange’s first goal with a brilliant freekick from 35m before a Donald Dzvinyai own goal levelled matters.
That was the time drums at Mpilo End stopped beating as Dynamos fans were muted.
At the final whistle, the fans could not stomach the result and they rose into song as they turned on the coach.
Asked on his thoughts on the chants from fans and his job being on the line, Mangombe was confident this was just a passing phase.
“Not really. As a coach you know these guys need results. So if they are not getting results they are disappointed and we allow them to do that. When we are winning, they will sing Kaka is a good coach. So what I need to do is to motivate my boys to do better in the next assignment. Maybe in the third game we are going to make it,” said Mangombe.
The Dynamos coach feels his side is conceding silly goals.
“It’s a game of football. We have to accept some of these things. They normally happen for a reason. I am happy with the response from the boys after the defeat against Highlanders. I am happy with the way we are keeping possession. But, at the end of the day you ask yourself can we keep on conceding these silly goals. We still have to work on these guys, they have to understand they are playing for Dynamos. It’s not acceptable to concede such silly goals,” said Mangombe.
His opposite number Nation Dube said he always felt they still had a chance in the game despite being two goals down.
“I never thought the game was done when we were two goals down. I told myself that with the way they are playing, if we apply ourselves well they are not going to beat us. When we went into the dressing room I told my boys that let’s go one-on-one and then we will see what can come from there. Barbourfields is like our second home ground, if you look outside, we had some fans supporting us so we have supporters when we are playing here,” said Dube.
The match had a delayed start as the two teams were at loggerheads over kit issues. The game started 30 minutes later than it was supposed to.
Dynamos’ keeper Martin Mapisa was putting on a red jersey, which clashed with that of Hwange’s in-field players. The visitors wanted Mapisa to change, however, as the home side, DeMbare refused as the rules state that the away team has to change.
After a lengthy delay, Chipangano finally gave in and changed to their red and black strip.
At the start of the game, DeMbare were the hungrier of the two teams and created chances as early as the third minute of the game.
In the third minute, Paga sent in a beautiful cross which Nomore Chinyerere, failed to properly connect with and his weak effort was saved by Hwange’s shot stopper Wellington Muuya.
DeMbare continued asking questions and in the 15th minute, Muuya was brought into action again by Paga, but the forward’s effort was saved.
Teams
Dynamos: Martin Mapisa, Emmanuel Jalai, Shadreck Nyahwa (Issa Sadiki, 72nd minute), Donald Dzvinyai, Kevin Moyo, Tanaka Shandirwa (Arthur Musiyiwa, 68th minute), Fredrick Ansa Fredrick-Botchway, Donald Mudadi (Temptation Chiwunga 83rd minute), Nomore Chinyerere, Emmanuel Paga (Sadney auto-Khob 83rd minute), Keith Madera (Valentine Kadonzvo 72nd minute).
Hwange: Wellington Muuya, Jofias Mumpande, Bhekani Sibanda, Kelly Shiyandindi, Lukas Sibanda, Solomon Sithole, Shepard Gadzikwa, Canaan Nkomo (Prosper Mathe 63rd minute), Mongameli Tshuma, Gwift Mbweti (Prichard Mpelele 63rd minute), Marcelline Mlilo.
SOURCE: SUNDAY NEWS
